Bridgestone improves F1 tires

"We have changed the working range of the tire to make the temperature range in which the tire operates wider," explained Kees van de Grint, head of track engineering for Bridgestone in F1. "The overall grip level is lower, but the temperature dependency of the grip is far wider and not so extreme, which means improved drivability."

"We believe it is easier to drive and this has been seen in the testing we have had where the teams have been able to go out when it is not much above 0° Celsius and then up to 25° Celsius with the same tire," he added. "Warm up has become less of an issue. Over the course of a season there is a lot of variation of temperature and of track surface and the wider operating window we have accounts for this. We have tested at different circuits and on different types of tarmac and have had good feedback from all of them."