4 replies to this topic

[random]

Has anyone seen a comprehensive published account listing which teams are running custom designed "bespoke" tires?

Of the Bridgestone runners, I've only seen confirmation that Ferrari have custom designed tires. I've read rumors that BAR have also paid Bridgestone to design custom rubber for them, but I've seen no confirmation. Sauber and Jordan likely are running either the Ferrari or BAR compound and it seems Minardi will be running on 2002 spec Bridgestone tires until Imola.

On the Michelin front, I suspect both McLaren and Williams have bespoke tires but I've seen no confirmation. I've heard rumors that both Renault and Toyota were considering a move towards custom designed rubber, once again no confirmation. I gather that Jaguar is simply choosing from among the others.

[tifosi]

I forget where I saw it, I'll have to dig it out, but I read where B-Stone brought 10 different compounds. Don't know about custom designing but this would seem to suggest they are bringing plenty of different compounds for teams to get the best possible tyre. BTW it's not so much that B-stone builds a custom tyre for Ferrari as much as Ferrari design there car to make the most of the B-stone's. I believe BAR is heading down this path also.

[StickShift]

Originally posted by tifosi
BTW it's not so much that B-stone builds a custom tyre for Ferrari as much as Ferrari design there car to make the most of the B-stone's. I believe BAR is heading down this path also.

In last years case it was that the Ferrari car was designed for Bridgestone tyres and the Bridgestone tyres were designed for the Ferrari car. Perfect harmony.

[Sir Frank]

Bridgestones problem is that they are contracted to the 3 poorest teams on the grid + BAR + Ferrari, thats two big players + 3 who are taking advantage of the developments of the first two.
Rampf : "We will be orientating ourselves on the tyres that Bridgestone develops with Ferrari and then we might chose a slightly harder or softer compound at the track. For an own development program we would need an extra test team but our budget wont allow that."
Jordan and Minardi can be happy if they make it to seasons end not to mention tyre testing.
So its BAR and Ferrari, they might be running different carcasses but if you listen to what Michelin has to say then it unlikely.

Pascal Vasselon of Michelin believes that the 5 teams of Michelin will chose tires from the same or similar carcass (construction) but maybe a different compound. Michelin experimented with 25 different constructions over the winter (Williams tried 10 different types or compound on an average test day) compared to 4 of Bridgestone, who developed 130 different types. But its easy to get messed up since every different carcass needs a different setup. As Pierre says a good tyre is good for any car. After Williams succeded in transfering weight to the front and adding more downforce to the rear of the FW24 late in 2002 it became clear that McLaren and Williams were working towards a very similar tyre.

[A3]

Originally posted by tifosi
I forget where I saw it, I'll have to dig it out, but I read where B-Stone brought 10 different compounds.

It was on Dutch TV, GP preview program. They said Bridgestone handed out a folder to the teams with 10 different tyres to choose from.