Bridgestone expects return to form

With cooler ambient temperatures expected for this weekend's San Marino Grand Prix and the following Spanish race at Barcelona however, Bridgestone is confident that the tyre war will shift back in its favour.

"I think this could be the turning point in the season for us," said Bridgestone's technical manager Hisao Suganuma. "The temperature is different between the flyaway races and the European rounds, and we're going to have more mild conditions compared to the first three races, so I think our tyre will suit those conditions."

Bridgestone and Michelin have both opted for softer compound tyres for Imola. "We have selected tyre specifications from the softer side of our range to suit the less abrasive surface of Imola and have also had to take into consideration the need for extra traction and grip out of the slow corner," said Suganama.

Michelin has gambled on new compounds for the San Marino Grand Prix in an effort to keep up the momentum that has seen it win the first two races and take second and third in Brazil.

"The soft Michelin tyre options we are using in San Marino have not been used before during a race weekend," said Michelin's Pascal Vasselon. "For the first time this season the compounds come from the 'softer' side of our range."