Bridgestone already said no to HRC

Earlier today, HRC president Masumi Hamane said he would like his riders to use Bridgestone tyres next season: "We haven't finalised our choice of tyres for 2008. We want to follow Dani's choice and he wants Bridgestone. He has pushed very hard for it."

Currently, Bridgestone supply five teams: Marlboro Ducati, Rizla Suzuki, Kawasaki, Gresini Honda and D'Antin Ducati. Michelin also supply five teams, namely Repsol Honda, FIAT Yamaha, LCR Honda, Konica Minolta Honda and Team Roberts. The other tyre manufacturer, Dunlop, supply just one team, Dunlop Yamaha.

Bridgestone's Yamada said he supported the current competitive nature of MotoGP this season, Bridgestone having scored nine wins so far this season to Michelin's five. Michelin have bounced back in recent weeks, with Valentino Rossi winning the last race in Portugal while Dani Pedrosa was fastest today in practice at Motegi.

"We want competition in MotoGP and we would like to keep the current situation with our current five teams. Of those five teams, three of them are works teams. We at Bridgestone think that is a good balance," said Bridgestone's Yamada.

It is believed that Bridgestone declined Honda's request some time ago before today's revelation from HRC's Hamane.

Michelin were quite public in saying that if they lost either Repsol Honda or the FIAT Yamaha factory teams from their line up, then they would pull out due to a lack of competitive development machines available to them.

Bridgestone refused to discuss the length of deals done with their current MotoGP teams but sidy that they wished to continue with their current partners.