Singapore preview quotes: Bridgestone

Hirohide Hamashima - Bridgestone Director of Motorsport Tyre Development

What are the challenges of Singapore?

"Last year was the first time we ran at Singapore and we learnt a lot. It is a street course so we will see a lot of circuit surface evolution and improvement as the track is first cleaned by cars running, then racing rubber is laid, meaning better grip. This makes finding a good set-up difficult as the track condition is a moving target."

What are the primary tyre performance considerations?

"There are the usual considerations for a venue which is not solely designed for motor racing. This means we bring the softest tyres from our range, both of which are lower temperature working range tyres. Last year we saw that the track was quite bumpy. This adds an additional requirement for the suspension set-up as an uneven surface can bounce the tyre out of contact with the track, which means less grip."