Bridgestone teams agree on collaboration

Toyota and Williams have switched from Michelin tyres to Bridgestone ahead of this season, giving the Japanese tyre maker a further development boost, after concentrating almost exclusively on Ferrari's needs.

"There's an agreement between Toyota, Williams, Ferrari and Jordan (Midland) to show all information," Brawn said. "So all the information from tyre testing goes into a central data bank that we can all look at, to see how the tyre testing is going.

"So we can compare our results with the different tyres and see how the tyres react to the different cars."

Brawn said the expansion in front-running teams also provides Bridgestone with a bigger challenge, but he said the value of the combined effort makes it worth while for the Japanese company.

"Overall it's a good thing to have two extra teams helping to develop the tyres," Brawn said yesterday, at the team's 248 F1 car launch.

"It means it's a much bigger challenge and complication for Bridgestone, because for a few years Bridgestone concentrated almost exclusively on Ferrari, so their logistics and priorities have been very, very simple.

"Now they have a much more complex challenge, because there's two serious other teams that give input which also need to be supported, so that way it'll be more complicated for them.

"On the other hand, we get a lot more information, and information from different sources. That's very valuable.

"I think it's important, as it gives Bridgestone and everyone confidence in what they're seeing.

"When you only get the results from one car, particularly in a difficult year like 2005, you question why you're getting those results. Is it the car? Is it the tyres? Or is it a combination?

"Of course, with the two other teams, Bridgestone can have more confidence in what's happening and the results they get."