Bridgestone F1: Presentation of the Spanish Grand Prix

Bridgestone is preparing to begin the series of European Grands Prix of the 2010 Formula One World Championship: the first event on the calendar is the Spanish Grand Prix, scheduled for May 9th on the Catalunya track, north of Barcelona. The circuit is well known by the teams and drivers, who normally use it in winter tests to prepare for the season. On the occasion of the Spanish Grand Prix, the Japanese company will bring the Bridgestone Potenza type of tires with soft and hard compounds. The track, 4.655 meters long, has a long straight and a variety of different corners and is quite harsh on the tyres. In particular, the left front tire is particularly stressed during the single lap. Finding the right compromise between low aerodynamic drag on a straight line and sufficient downforce in corners represents a challenge for all teams. The numerous bends require particular attention and the high speeds place a high load on the tyres.

Hiroshi Yasukawa – Head of Bridgestone Motorsport: “The Spanish Grand Prix is ​​the first to be held in Europe and we expect great attention from the media. This is the first race that the teams will contest in Spain, which will be followed by the one in Valencia at the end of June. Spain is an important market for us and the activities related to Formula One have contributed to further increasing the awareness of our brand in this country. More than 4.000 people work in the Spanish branch and more than half of the tire production made here is exported to the European Community”.

Hirohide Hamashima – Bridgestone Motorsport Development Manager: “The Barcelona track is in the “medium” range in terms of abrasiveness and roughness and we will bring the type of tires with hard and soft compounds. On this circuit the left front tire will be particularly stressed and it will be challenging for the teams and drivers to find the best set-up on a track that they know well. We expect some graining right on the left front tire. The air and track temperatures will certainly be higher than during the tests carried out last February and this will be an aspect that should not be underestimated. We generally see pretty close lap times. The track is well balanced and represents a good indicator of the overall balance of the cars. A car that shows good performance on the Barcelona track has the potential to perform excellently on many tracks.”

Data and facts:
Number and specification of tires brought to Barcelona: 2000 pieces. Compounds: hard and soft (dry)

Pole position 2009: 1min 20s.527 (Button, Brawn GP) Fastest lap in the race in 2009: 1min 22s.762 (Barrichello, Brawn GP)

Podium 2009: Button (Brawn GP), Barrichello (Brawn GP), Webber (Red Bull Racing)