Medium and hard tyres for Bahrain
As in Malaysia, Bridgestone will be using Potenza tyres with the hard and medium compounds for the warm temperatures expected in Bahrain next Sunday.The 5.412 km Bahrain International Circuitfeatures a diverse mix of corners allied to fast straights. ...
As in Malaysia, Bridgestone will be using Potenza tyres with the hard and medium compounds for the warm temperatures expected in Bahrain next Sunday.The 5.412 km Bahrain International Circuitfeatures a diverse mix of corners allied to fast straights.
The medium tyre will be distinguished by a white marking along the bottom of the second
from inside groove.
Kees van de Grint, Bridgestone Motorsport Head of Track Engineering Operations explains the tyre maker's preparations:
What are the crucial elements to get good use from tyres in Bahrain? “Good traction is essential at the Bahrain International Circuit. At six corners in particular it is very important to gain speed for the long straights which follow. After these straights there is of course heavy braking but maximising the traction out of the corners is crucial. If the traction is less than optimum it creates heat and high wear to the tyres.”
Bahrain, like Malaysia, is a circuit where the teams have tested extensively. Will this be a factor? “Testing at a venue where we are going to race allows us, as sole tyre supplier, to confirm that we have made the correct predictions from our theoretical data about which tyre compounds to use. For teams it allows them to engineer their car to be as fast as it can be at the circuit and this is particularly the case with Bahrain where most of the teams have tested for six days already this year.”
Are you happy with how the tyre marking fared in race conditions? “I am very happy with how the markings performed in race conditions. They could be seen well by spectators and the media and on television they showed particularly well on the onboard cameras.”
Stats & Facts
Number & Spec of tyres brought to Sepang: 2,200 (hard & medium) Pole position time 2006: 1m 31.431s (M Schumacher, Ferrari) Fastest race lap 2006: 1m 32.408s (N Rosberg, Williams) Top three 2006: F Alonso, M Schumacher, K Raikkonen
What are the crucial elements to get good use from tyres in Bahrain? “Good traction is essential at the Bahrain International Circuit. At six corners in particular it is very important to gain speed for the long straights which follow. After these straights there is of course heavy braking but maximising the traction out of the corners is crucial. If the traction is less than optimum it creates heat and high wear to the tyres.”
Bahrain, like Malaysia, is a circuit where the teams have tested extensively. Will this be a factor? “Testing at a venue where we are going to race allows us, as sole tyre supplier, to confirm that we have made the correct predictions from our theoretical data about which tyre compounds to use. For teams it allows them to engineer their car to be as fast as it can be at the circuit and this is particularly the case with Bahrain where most of the teams have tested for six days already this year.”
Are you happy with how the tyre marking fared in race conditions? “I am very happy with how the markings performed in race conditions. They could be seen well by spectators and the media and on television they showed particularly well on the onboard cameras.”
Stats & Facts
Number & Spec of tyres brought to Sepang: 2,200 (hard & medium) Pole position time 2006: 1m 31.431s (M Schumacher, Ferrari) Fastest race lap 2006: 1m 32.408s (N Rosberg, Williams) Top three 2006: F Alonso, M Schumacher, K Raikkonen