Feb.27 (GMM) Bridgestone has confirmed that it will visibly distinguish the softest compound of slick tyres at grands prix this year by painting green circles around the edges of the sidewalls
We reported recently that this new solution, necessary due to the end of the grooved tyre era where a white line was painted inside a groove, was the most likely for 2009, after teams tested it at the recent Jerez test
“The green colour has been chosen to show Bridgestone’s continued support of the FIA’s Make Cars Green campaign,” the Japanese manufacturer explained in a statement
Bridgestone’s director of development Hirohide Hamashima, meanwhile, also confirmed suggestions that the difference between the two compounds at races this year will be bigger than previously
“We have changed our allocation strategy so that we can bring non-consecutive allocations to races,” he said
For example, with the ‘super soft’ being brought to Melbourne next month, the other tyre will be the ‘medium’, not the next-hardest tyre in the range, the ‘soft’
Bridgestone confirmed that this system will be in place at least for the first five races of 2009
Hamashima added: “We hope that the change in allocations gives competitors a good challenge and the fans entertaining racing.”n
