Amid concerns that the ‘white spot’ solution basically failed to visibly distinguish Bridgestone’s tyre options in Melbourne last weekend, it is understood that the Japanese supplier is now investigating possible new methods.
One of the methods being considered is the painting of the inside of a groove, making the tyre in question easily spottable from a frontal view, after the 3cm white spot proved too difficult to identify by untrained eyes at Albert Park.
Colouring the side walls, for instance to mirror the Champ Car style solution where the colour red is used, has been ruled out as Bridgestone seek a method that can easily be applied at the actual race circuits.
In the manufacturing process, all four of the different tyre types this year are produced with identical markings because it would not be clear at that stage whether they are destined to be the ‘prime’ or ‘option’ tyre at a specific event.
It is further understood that Bridgestone settled on the use of white for the current ‘spot’ solution after some teams baulked at the thought of colours that might clash with their livery.
The small size of the current dot, meanwhile, was an attempt to minimise the aesthetic effect on the branded tyres and reduce the time it took for Bridgestone’s personnel to apply the marking.
