Bridgestone inconsistent tire patterns to continue

Bridgestone has revealed which compounds of its Potenza tires will be used in the final four races of the season. The Japanese company has elected not to revert completely to the non-consecutive system of earlier in the year but continue to apply varying schemes for those circuits still to visit on the calendar. Since 2008 – unless the race takes place in wet conditions – drivers have been obliged to make use of two types of tire compound in a Formula One Grand Prix, with one being softer than the other; each of the four tires on the car must be of the same compound at any given moment with the softer (Option) type on offer over a weekend being recognized from the harder (Prime) by bearing a green painted sidewall.

Earlier in the season, with the exception of Monaco, non-consecutive combinations from Bridgestone's range of compounds (Hard, Medium, Soft and Super Soft) were taken to each Grand Prix meeting although this case will only apply for two of the remaining races of the year. We are pleased to release our final allocations," explained Hirohide Hamashima, Bridgestone's director of motorsport tire development. "Singapore is a street course and, based on our experience there last year, we feel that Soft and Super Soft is the best choice. For Suzuka, we will have a gap in compound hardness; this will be an interesting return to this great circuit as half of it has a new surface so tire usage considerations could be challenging.

"In Brazil, we also stay with the stiffness gap; it can get very hot in São Paulo and we usually see a good race there although I think we will struggle to have a race as exciting as the one we had last season. Abu Dhabi is a new destination for us; although it is technically a street course, we are bringing harder compounds than we use at the other street courses."