Bridgestone reacts to Michelin threat
Bridgestone will debut a brand new tyre in this weekend's French Grand Prix at Magny-Cours in an attempt to fend off the challenge of Michelin
The French manufacturer is expected to hold a significant advantage at its home grand prix after Williams-BMW's test driver Marc Gene set the pace for Michelin in testing four weeks ago. The circuit is notoriously harsh on rear tyres, while high temperatures are anticipated this weekend and could play a part.
Bridgestone has responded with a brand new dry compound to cope with the demands of the ultra-smooth French venue.
"During testing at Magny-Cours earlier this month, the track temperature reached 50 degrees," said Hisao Suganuma, Bridgestone's technical manager. "In simple terms, hotter weather will require a more durable compound, but if the temperature is not as high as we expect, our higher grip compound will be the one to choose. Either way, we have a tyre to suit the conditions.
"Rear tyre degradation can be an issue at Magny-Cours, especially when it is warmer. However, we have plenty of experience at the track and such potential problems have been taken into account as we have developed our tyres for this year's race.
Suganuma says the layout of the circuit also has a big impact on the wear rate of tyres, and traction control might not be sufficient to cancel the degradation.
"The track has a number of quite tight corners, chicanes and hairpins," he said. "If drivers accelerate out of the corners early, sometimes the tyres can overheat or there is too much wear on the rear tyres and as a result their performance suffers. Traction control may help in these circumstances, but it is difficult to calculate what positive influence it could have, if any, and therefore we have not relied on it in our choice of compounds for the race."
How F1’s other champion to emerge from 1991 thrived at Lotus
Mika Hakkinen became Michael Schumacher’s biggest rival in Formula 1 in the late-90s and early 2000s, having also made his F1 debut in 1991. But as MARK GALLAGHER recalls, while Schumacher wowed the world with a car that was eminently capable, Hakkinen was fighting to make his mark with a famous team in terminal decline
The forgotten F1 comeback that began Jordan’s odyssey
Before Michael Schumacher – or anyone else – had driven the 191 (or 911 as it was initially called), Eddie Jordan turned to a fellow Irishman to test his new Formula 1 car. JOHN WATSON, a grand prix winner for Penske and McLaren, recalls his role in the birth of a legend…
The squandered potential of a 70s F1 underdog
A podium finisher in its first outing but then never again, the BRM P201 was a classic case of an opportunity squandered by disorganisation and complacency, says STUART CODLING
The other notable Monza escape that F1 should learn from
OPINION: The headlines were dominated by the Italian Grand Prix crash between Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton, who had the halo to thank for avoiding potentially serious injury. But two days earlier, Formula 1 had a lucky escape with a Monza pitlane incident that could also have had grave consequences
How Monza only added more questions to F1's sprint race conundrum
With two sprint races under its belt, Formula 1 must now consider its options for them going forward. While they've helped deliver exciting racing on Sundays, the sprints themselves have been somewhat lacking - creating yet another conundrum for F1 to solve...
Who should Alfa Romeo sign for 2022's F1 season?
OPINION: With Valtteri Bottas already signed up for 2022, all eyes are on the race for the second seat at Alfa Romeo next year. Antonio Giovinazzi is the current incumbent, but faces a tough competition from appealing short and long-term prospects
The "forced break" that was key to Ricciardo's Monza excellence
OPINION: Daniel Ricciardo has long been considered one of Formula 1’s elite drivers. But his struggles at McLaren since switching from Renault for 2021 have been painful to watch at times. Yet he’s recovered to banish those memories with a famous Monza win – built on a critically important foundation
How Verstappen is ruining his F1 title battle with Hamilton
OPINION: The Italian GP clash between Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen followed a running theme in the 2021 Formula 1 title fight. Their close-quarters battles have often resulted in contact - and although Hamilton has shown a willingness to back off, Verstappen must learn to temper his aggression
