Bridgestone to end tyre supply

There was talk of Cooper Avon taking over Bridgestone's F1 assets, so it could be possible for them to continue the current spec of tyre next year.
 
Ardius
There was talk of Cooper Avon taking over Bridgestone's F1 assets, so it could be possible for them to continue the current spec of tyre next year.
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That would work i guess. Although with tyre design such a dark art, i'm surprised that Bridgestone would be willing to let their secrets out to a rival.
 
I can imagine how the car would look... Gonna be awful and weird. We shall see what happens next or at the end of this year.

But please for F1 sake, retain the current tyre spec for next year if can...
 
http://www.formula1.com/news/headlines/2010/4/10710.html

Pirelli put in a bid to supply all the teams from next year.

I don't think they intend on competing with Michelin either. This should be interesting...

If Bridgestone are willing to share all the relative info needed for another company to supply (And maybe even improve) the current tyres, I think that should be done. If they are not willing, the decision on who is going to supply the tyres should come sooner rather than later in my opinion, it just causes problems for the teams if everything for next year is last minute.
 
The teams apparently wanted the matter setled before the Spanish Grand Prix, but have since conceded that it's unlikely to be sorted outby then.
 
I think they will go with Avon purely for costs purposes, with Bridgestone transferring the engineers and data to them. It makes the most sense for continuity as well keeping things viable for the smaller teams.
 
It has been confirmed that Pirelli will be the 2011 F1 tyre supplier.

Pirelli
Pirelli will be Formula One's sole tyre supplier in 2011 after the FIA World Motor Sport Council (WMSC) confirmed the deal on Wednesday.

Bridgestone announced last year that it would leave F1 at the end of 2010, throwing open the prestigious position. Pirelli has been the favourite for some time but the decision needed to be ratified by the WMSC.

"Pirelli has been selected as the single tyre supplier for the FIA Formula One World Championship for a period of three years, commencing in 2011," said a statement by the FIA. "The sole supplier will undertake to strictly respect the sporting and technical regulations implemented by the FIA."
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As what Michelin said earlier, they are only willing to take part if there's a tyre war like last time around we have in 2006. The last time Pirelli in F1 was back in 1991.
 
I wonder when we'll start seeing testing? I've heard talk that the teams may stay in Abu Dhabi for an extra four days after the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix to get acquainted with the tyres, but that means Pirelli would be ready then. They obviously have the facilities to manufact and they'll no doubt be conversing with Bridgestone ... I wouldn't be too surprised if we saw the first tests at the end of the August hiatus myself.
 
To answer the above, 2 month old question:

Autosport
Pirelli has continued testing its 2011 Formula 1 rubber at Mugello today, with ex-Mercedes reserve driver Nick Heidfeld at the wheel.

The Italian tyre manufacturer is using a 2009 Toyota TF109, run by Toyota Motorsport, as its test mule and is due to complete its first two-day test at 1700 (UK time).

AUTOSPORT understands that the first two-day test of the rubber has been productive, with valuable data accumulated for the tyres that have not run on F1 machinery before.
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HeidfeldPirellitestingToyotaTF109.jpg


http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/85997
 
Well - this is a turn up for the books...

"BBC Sport understands Nick Heidfeld will replace Pedro de la Rosa at Sauber for rest of 2010"

No story yet... but an interesting twist...

C.
 
yeti
"BBC Sport understands Nick Heidfeld will replace Pedro de la Rosa at Sauber for rest of 2010"
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I'm being honest here... If that really is true, then I will go ''Yeeeeeeeeeeeees!!! :D:tup:''. In which I doubt it but then it's a shame for Pedro though :(
 
Shouldn't that go in its own thread? Good news... I really felt for Nick when he lost his F1 seat for this year...
 
yeti
Interesting of course that he will have prior knowledge of the new tyres...

C.
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I don't imagine that will have a (future) competitive advantage; Arrows gained virtually squat for '97 by testing for Bridgestone the prior year, although they snagged Damon Hill, who gave them a 2nd in Hungary, and good showing in one or two other events. Not much else...since the cars' suspensions will have to be heavily redesigned for next season, if these new tire fitments (15"? 18"?) are really coming.
 
Well, they did get Damon Hill to test the tyres, ensure they were fantastic, which they eventually were that year. Bridgestone tyres in 1997 were quite an advantage at some circuits, though Damon's race at Hungary was pretty special.
But that kind of advantage doesn't count this time as everyone is on Pirelli's, not just Sauber or Mercedes.

Everyone will get the test data from Pirelli, there is very little Heidfeld can tell Sauber other than giving them a small headstart with their 2011 design with some first-hand feedback on how the tyres might feel.
Keep in mind though that the tyres are still in development, so they can change after Heidfeld tested them.

Sauber can still get it massively wrong, just as anyone can.
 
Pupik
I don't imagine that will have a (future) competitive advantage; Arrows gained virtually squat for '97 by testing for Bridgestone the prior year, although they snagged Damon Hill, who gave them a 2nd in Hungary, and good showing in one or two other events. Not much else...since the cars' suspensions will have to be heavily redesigned for next season, if these new tire fitments (15"? 18"?) are really coming.
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I agree. Individual knowledge of tyres will only go so far, and I expect that everyone else on the grid will learn everything there is to know about the tyres by the end of the winter testing season. The big problem Pirelli are trying to avoid is a test driver incorporating his knowledge of the tyres into the design of the 2011 car, to use them more efficiently and extract more performance from them. The knowledge that Nick Heidfeld will have will be marginal at best, and I seriously doubt it would be worth enough to warrant a team signing him on for next year.
 

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