Bridgestone ready to hit the track in GP2
12/04/2005
The all-new GP2 series, supported by Bridgestone, will get underway next week when the 12 teams converge on the Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari for the first ever race weekend.
Bridgestone has been working with teams and drivers in the build-up to the opening event, which will see races take place on Saturday and Sunday as part of the Formula One support card.
And after a long stint of progression from design, through development, to the initial final product, Bridgestone, the only tyre supplier in the series, are eager to get a taste of the new championship next weekend.
Bridgestone Japan's Technical Manager Mr Hamamura said: "We spent the period from last summer through to autumn and winter tyre testing with the GP2 development team.
"We focused quite a lot on compound evaluation once the construction was decided, and from a technical perspective it is not that difficult, but it is quite different from working in a competitive tyre series.
"The specifications we have selected are a result of our experience in Formula One, Champ Cars and Formula Nippon and we expect the tyres to suit good competition between young drivers potentially moving up to Formula One.
"We need to supply not only tyres but also tyre data and our full services to 12 teams with equal quality. Of course all the preparation is done now and we are ready to go."
Most of the pre-season testing has taken place at Paul Ricard, and also at Barcelona, but the Bridgestone engineers have estimated that the GP2 cars will be around ten seconds per lap slower than the Formula One machines.
But although there is no competition for Bridgestone to fight against, they expect the tyres will get better and better as the season goes on and the car will become faster and faster.
"With competition, we would have more tests and more cost, especially as we couldn't stop development," said Hamamura. "But I still think the GP2 cars will get quicker and quicker as they run.
"On the technical side, we have engineers in Japan and in the UK. In addition we have an experienced team of tyre fitters and will also be supported by a number of people in logistics, marketing, PR and so forth."
Bridgestone are used to competing for their success in Formula One, having gone up against two different rivals since their arrival at the sport's top level and helped their teams win a total of seven Constructors' World Championships.
The new GP2 series will be a very different experience, but they are used to being the sole supplier of other series, including the United States Champ Car series, and are well prepared for the different challenges.
But it is the comparison between Formula One and the new GP2 category, which will follow the top series around the globe this year, that will be of most interest to those watching at the circuit.
And Hamamura said: "With the dry tyres, their sizes and groove design are identical between Formula One and GP2, and there are lots of common materials which are used in both.
"The biggest difference is on the wet tyres. Its tread pattern is completely different and covers a range from extreme weather through to damp conditions with one specification.
"The initial idea of the construction and compounds came from mainly Formula One and once the GP2 development car started running we were then looking to see how suitable for the GP2 car they would be."
(© Collings, 12 04 05)
Source: GP2 Series