Bridgestone evaluates new wet weather tyres

The Japanese company had been asked to create a single wet tyre with a view to it potentially becoming a replacement for the two tyres used in F1 at present.

The new rubber has a compound and tread pattern that is halfway between the current extreme and wet (intermediate) tyre.

Although Bridgestone has not confirmed how many drivers ran with the rubber during the rain-affected part of the test, a spokesman said that the data is now being looked at to determine whether to pursue the idea.

Bridgestone director of motorsport tyre development Hirohide Hamashima said recently he preferred the current option of having two wet types, but the single tyre idea had come about after a request from the teams.

"We prefer two types of wet tyres, it brings more safety," he told autosport.com. "But as you know the reason why we developed the one wet tyre is because it was requested from the teams. But now their opinion is different. They refuse one specification of wet tyre.

"They asked last year after the Nurburgring, when someone used standards and some extreme. Force India (then Spyker) led the race after a red flag. Maybe that is why - I guess."

BMW Sauber driver Nick Heidfeld said during the Jerez test that he could see no benefit to bringing the single wet tyre other than cutting costs.

"I don't think it's a good idea," he said. "With the extreme wets we have now, we have aquaplaning, so with these new wets that have a wider range and tread that is not as good for aquaplaning, it will be worse. I don't understand it."