Toyota, Bridgestone in winter testing row

Autosport has learned Toyota want to vary the terms of a testing accord agreed by all 11 teams at the Brazilian Grand Prix and are using their connections with Bridgestone's senior moguls to try to influence a decision on F1 tyre supply.

The agreement thrashed out in Brazil provides for three, three-day winter tests: November 28-30 in Barcelona; December 6-8 in Jerez and December 13-15 in Jerez.

Bridgestone, which is now F1's sole tyre supplier following Michelin's withdrawal at the end of the 2006 season, had originally wanted only two winter tests, but agreed to three after requests from a number of teams, led by Williams.

Toyota, however, want to vary the terms of the agreement to test one day later than the other teams in Barcelona, and one day earlier at the first of the Jerez tests.

The Japanese squad also want to increase the total number of tyre sets they have available, from 48 across the three tests, to between 55 and 60.

Bridgestone has so far rebuffed Toyota's requests, believing that any variation to the Brazilian GP agreement goes against the spirit of test limits agreed for 2007.

One source said: "This is all about drawing a line in the sand. As we're now sole supplier it's vital to us that we treat all teams in exactly the same way and that they believe we are doing so.

"If we start to change the terms of a solid agreement immediately we set a very unfortunate precedent."

Bridgestone is also concerned that any variation in testing limits could lead to a dramatic increase in costs - a situation it is keen to avoid as sole supplier.

But Toyota team manager Richard Cregan said the team had no intention of breaking the Brazilian agreement, or asking for extra days' testing. He insisted, rather, that Toyota were operating under the terms of the 2006 testing agreement and were acting entirely in good faith with the spirit of F1 cost-cutting measures.

He said: "It's possible that there has been some miscommunication between Bridgestone UK and Bridgestone Japan, but any idea that we want to compromise the testing agreement or gain a competitive advantage couldn't be further from the truth.

"The cost-saving philosophy that has driven the testing agreement is something (Toyota motorsport president) John Howett and (team principal) Tsutomu Tomita take extremely seriously."

The Bridgestone source added: "The problem we have now is that this has gone beyond one team talking to its tyre supplier. In effect they've called their dad and we've called ours, so it has gone right to the top and got very complicated."