MotoGP Le Mans Bridgestone Preview

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Bridgestone slick compounds available: Front: Extra-soft, Soft & Medium; Rear: Extra-soft, Soft & Medium (Asymmetric)

Bridgestone wet tyre compounds available: Soft (Main), Hard (Alternative)

Round five of the 2014 MotoGP™ season takes place at the Le Mans Bugatti circuit in France, a venue that has produced some unexpected results over the years due to its unpredictable weather.

Measuring 4.185 kilometres in length, the Le Mans circuit features a ‘stop-and-go’ configuration with low-speed corners punctuated by a series of short straight sections. The layout places an emphasis on acceleration and braking, rather than outright corner speed and the circuit demands a good bike setup to ensure the tyres work in their optimum operating range. The relatively slow corner speeds at Le Mans make the venue the least severe circuit on the MotoGP™ calendar for tyres. The low corner speeds and the generally cool temperatures at Le Mans means that the slick tyre allocation for this round uses Bridgestone’s softest rubber compounds to ensure quick warm-up, high grip and excellent temperature retention. There are nine right-hand corners compared to five left-hand corners at Le Mans, so asymmetric rear slicks with slightly harder rubber on the right shoulder are provided to riders for the French Grand Prix.

For Le Mans, Bridgestone’s rear slick tyre allocation for the Factory Honda and Yamaha riders will be the soft and medium compound options, while the Ducati and Open-class riders will have access to the extra-soft and soft compounds. The front slick allocation for Le Mans will be the extra-soft, soft & medium compound options. To ensure adequate tyre warm-up in wet conditions, the main wet tyre for Le Mans will be the soft compound although each rider will be able to select the hard compound wet tyre if they choose.

Hiroshi Yamada - Manager, Bridgestone Motorsport Department

“After four dominant performances by Marc so far this season, we all await with anticipation to see which rider can stop his run of victories, or if he will continue his domination. The stop-and-go layout of the Le Mans circuit is quite different to the flowing nature of the Jerez circuit which hosted the last round, so it will be interesting to see which riders can use this to their advantage. The layout of the Le Mans circuit and the variable weather always makes it difficult to predict the winner for the French Grand Prix, with few riders able to win the race from pole position in recent times. Once again the Ducati and Open-class riders will have access to the extra-soft rear slick this weekend and with Le Mans being the least severe circuit on tyres on the whole MotoGP calendar, it could prove to offer quite a performance boost in both qualifying and the race.”

Shinji Aoki - Manager, Bridgestone Motorsport Tyre Development Department

“Le Mans is an event where we often experience cold temperatures so ensuring good warm-up performance for the tyres is very important. The circuit itself is relatively gentle compared to other circuits as well, so our slick tyre allocation for the French Grand Prix is formulated from softer rubber compounds to ensure better warm-up and grip. The circuit has a stop-and-go nature and overall, the lateral loads placed on the tyres at Le Mans are low which is another reason why we provide softer compounds here. Another performance requirement here is to provide front tyres that provide maximum stability under braking.

“The circuit has an unbalanced layout that uses the right shoulder of the tyre more than the left, so asymmetric rear slicks with harder rubber on the right shoulder have been developed for all rear specifications this year. Last year, our extra-soft rear slick at Le Mans was symmetric, but for this year we developed an asymmetric extra-soft rear slick. The unstable weather at Le Mans can have a significant impact upon bike settings and tyre choice and in previous years we have seen vastly different conditions from one session to the other so it is always a busy race for our technical team.”

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Bridgestone Preview Argentina MotoGP

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2014 sees MotoGP™ return to South America for the first time since 2004, as Argentina’s Autódromo Termas de Río Hondo hosts round three of the season.

Measuring 4806 metres in length, the Termas de Río Hondo circuit is characterised by numerous fast, long-radius corners that are expected to result in one of the highest average speeds of the year. The high speeds, hard braking zones and high camber angles of some corners results in this circuit being one of the more severe for tyres on the MotoGP™ calendar.

The Rio Hondo circuit has an unbalanced layout with nine right-hand corners compared to just five left-handers. However, the left-hand corners tend to be more severe in nature than the right-handers and in particular corners such as turn six and eleven generate high tyre temperatures, so the overall loads placed on the left and right shoulders of the tyres are similar. This means the rear tyre allocation for this circuit will be symmetric.

The overall severity of the Autódromo Termas de Río Hondo means the rear tyre allocation features rubber compounds from the harder end of the scale. Rear slick tyre options for the Factory Honda and Yamaha riders are the medium and hard compound rear slick, while the Ducati and open-class riders have access to the soft and medium compound rear slicks. As the Rio Termas Hondo circuit is a new addition to the World Championship, Bridgestone’s dataset for this circuit is limited, while a wide range of weather conditions could also be encountered. As a result, a special front slick tyre allocation will be offered for this weekend’s Argentina Grand Prix to ensure riders have enough options to deal with the potentially variable track conditions. The riders will be able to choose from three front slick options - the soft, medium and hard compound front slicks - instead of the usual two front options offered per race weekend.

Hiroshi Yamada - Manager, Bridgestone Motorsport Department

“I am happy to see MotoGP return to South America after almost a decade as it such a passionate region for motorcycle racing. This is an important market for Bridgestone and it pleases me that we will be able to showcase our advanced technology to a whole new audience. The large number of fans present at last year’s test at Termas de Río Hondo was a good indication of the reception we can expect this weekend, and I hope to see a huge crowd welcome the sport back to Argentina. From a racing perspective, none of the factory teams tested at this circuit last year so it will be interesting to see which riders are able to adapt themselves to the demands of this very fast circuit. This weekend will be a busy one for our engineers as they will be tasked with helping the teams get the best out of the tyres at this new circuit.”

Shinji Aoki - Manager, Bridgestone Motorsport Tyre Development Division

“The Autodromo Termas de Rio Hondo is a new addition to the MotoGP in 2014, and our test at the circuit last year shows it is one of the harshest circuits on the calendar for tyres. This circuit has a high average speed with some sections featuring high-camber angles, while corners like turn six are large radius, high-speed corners that generate very high tyre loads. The circuit is interesting in that although there are nine right-handed corners compared to five left-handed corners, the left shoulder of the tyre experiences higher temperatures than the right shoulder, due to the left-handers generally being faster, more demanding corners. As we have limited data for this track, we have decided to have a special allocation for the front tyres this weekend to ensure maximum safety for the riders. Both our front and rear tyre allocation for this race has to provide high levels of durability, stability and resistance to overheating, so we will provide tyres formulated from our harder rubber compounds for the Argentina Grand Prix.”

Bridgestone slick compounds available: Front: Soft, Medium & Hard; Rear: Soft, Medium & Hard

Bridgestone wet tyre compounds available: Soft (Main), Hard (Alternative)

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Bridgestone Preview Austin MotoGP

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After a successful debut event last year, MotoGP™ returns to the Circuit of The Americas in Austin, Texas with legions of American fans set to be thrilled after an intense season opener at Qatar.

The Circuit of the Americas packs every type of corner into its 5.515 kilometres making it one of the more technical venues on the calendar. Elevation changes, the longest straight in MotoGP™, and a combination of slow and fast corners makes the circuit a real challenge for the riders and tyres. The fast, sweeping corners require high levels of edge grip, while drive grip from the centre section of the tyre is also important as there are many hard acceleration zones at this track. The riders approach a top speed of almost 350 km/h down the 1200 metre-long back straight, so excellent front tyre stability is required for the hard braking zone into turn twelve.

Overall, the layout of the Circuit of The Americas places similar loads on both shoulders of the rear tyres, yet the presence of high speed right-hand corners at turns sixteen to eighteen and turn six, means the temperature of the right shoulder of the rear tyre reaches a higher level than the left side, even though there are more left-hand turns. Consequently, asymmetric rear slicks with slightly harder rubber on the right shoulders are offered for this circuit.

Open class and Ducati riders will be offered the soft and medium compound asymmetric rear slicks, while the Factory Honda and Yamaha riders can utilise the medium and hard compound rear. With front-end feel important through the faster sections of the track, the front slick options for this circuit – the soft and medium compounds – are selected for the best combination of grip and stability.

Hiroshi Yamada - Manager, Bridgestone Motorsport Department

“Last year’s inaugural MotoGP round at Circuit of The Americas was a resounding success, both on and off the track so I am very happy to be returning to Austin. North America is one of our most important markets so being able to support MotoGP as Official Tyre Supplier at such a fantastic venue is of great value to Bridgestone. The season opener at Qatar was incredibly close in terms of the competitiveness amongst the riders, and I hope that this weekend’s action proves to be just as thrilling for the fans. This circuit has a real mix of corners and presents some good overtaking opportunities and now that all the teams have last year’s data to build upon, I expect to see the riders pushing hard from the first practice session.”

Shinji Aoki - Manager, Bridgestone Motorsport Tyre Development Division

“This year will be our second visit to Austin’s Circuit of the Americas and the impressive layout of this track presents quite a challenge for tyre development. COTA is run in a counter-clockwise direction and the track is technical with a mix of tight, slower corners and faster, more open sections. These features combine to place a great importance on front-end feel, as maintaining good corner speed is important here. Therefore our front tyres need to provide good grip characteristics with plenty of stability. The rear tyres must also provide good drive out of the slower corners. The fast right-hand corners are quite severe on tyres, so at this circuit we provide asymmetric rear slicks with slightly harder rubber on the right shoulder.”

Bridgestone slick compounds available: Front: Soft & Medium; Rear: Soft, Medium & Hard (Asymmetric)

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Bridgestone Review Losail MotoGP

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The track temperature for the race was the coolest recorded over the whole race weekend, with a peak recording of just 20°C which brought with it a spike in humidity levels. This resulted in many riders commenting after the race that grip levels were lower than the Warm Up session four hours earlier. Although conditions were quite cool, only two riders selected the soft compound front slick, with the rest of the grid opting for the hard compound front slick. For the rear tyre, only race-winner Marc Marquez selected the hard compound rear slick for the race, and the medium compound rear was by far the popular choice, with fifteen riders selecting this option. Seven of the eleven Open-class entrants selected the soft compound rear slick for the Qatar Grand Prix.

Hiroshi Yamada - Manager, Bridgestone Motorsport Department

“That was a fantastic way to start the season; it was great to see riders from so many different teams fighting for position in the opening half of the race. Congratulations to Marc Marquez and Honda on winning the first race of the season, and well done to Valentino for pushing him all the way to the finish line. Every session this weekend was closely-contested, culminating in a thoroughly exciting race which I am sure was appreciated by MotoGP fans all around the world. I hope this trend of close racing continues for the rest of the season, starting with the Grand Prix of the Americas in three weeks’ time”

Shinji Aoki - Manager, Bridgestone Motorsport Tyre Development Department

“The 10pm start for the race in Qatar means we had cool and humid conditions for the Qatar Grand Prix, and listening to the comments from riders after the race, it seems this reduced the grip levels compared to the Warm Up session. As expected we had big variation in tyre strategies for the race, with all our front and rear slick options being utilised. I am happy to see that Marc was able to be so competitive on the hard compound rear slick, we made a big development with this option late last year for improved edge grip and the race result today showed it’s a viable race option for this year.”

Bridgestone slick compounds available: Front: Soft & Hard; Rear: Soft, Medium & Hard (Asymmetric)

Weather:   Dry. Ambient 20-20°C; Track 20-20°C (Bridgestone measurement)

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Bridgestone Preview Losail MotoGP

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The 2014 MotoGP™ season is set to start this weekend amidst a huge buzz of excitement at Qatar’s Losail International Circuit, as Bridgestone embarks on its sixth season as Official Tyre Supplier to the world’s premier class of motorcycle road racing.

Twenty-three riders will take part in MotoGP™ for the 2014 season, which will span eighteen races across thirteen countries. Adding to the anticipation for the 2014 season opener, Bridgestone’s new tyre classification system will make its debut in Qatar, with Green (Extra-soft), White (Soft), Black (Medium) and Red (Hard) coloured markings to be utilised throughout the season, making it easier for fans to see which tyre options the riders are using.

Three factors make the Losail circuit one of the most slippery on the MotoGP™ calendar; cool track temperatures, the potential for wind-blown sand on the track, and high humidity levels after the sun sets. The sand on track can also be quite abrasive, so Bridgestone’s tyre allocation must ensure high levels of grip and warm-up performance, together with good durability. 

The circuit features ten right-hand corners and just six left-handers, so asymmetric rear slicks with harder rubber on the right shoulders are provided here. Open-class riders at Qatar will be allocated the soft and medium compound asymmetric rear slicks, while Factory-class riders will be able to use the medium and hard asymmetric rears. Front slick tyre options for the season opener are the soft and hard compounds to ensure the riders can manage the changeable grip and abrasion levels that occur at this circuit.

Hiroshi Yamada - Manager, Bridgestone Motorsport Department

“The 2014 season is Bridgestone’s sixth campaign as Official Tyre Supplier to MotoGP, and during this time Qatar has been the venue for the season opener. This weekend we will debut our new tyre colour marking system and I believe this will be a welcome change for fans, and will make the sport more attractive to the millions of people watching the action around the globe. After a busy pre-season, everyone at Bridgestone is excited to start the season, and I look forward to our range of 2014 specification tyres getting their first taste of competitive action this weekend. We’ve made a large effort to push the boundaries of motorcycle tyre development with our latest range of tyres, and it is thanks to the efforts of the riders and teams over the past couple months of testing that we arrive at the first race of Qatar fully prepared for the season ahead.

“This weekend also sees the first round of the Shell Advance Asia Talent Cup take place, and Bridgestone is proud to be supporting this series which gives young Asian riders a great opportunity to take their first steps towards a MotoGP ride. I’d like to extend my best wishes for a safe and successful campaign to all the riders competing in this year’s MotoGP and Asia Talent Cup championships.”

Shinji Aoki - Manager, Bridgestone Motorsport Tyre Development Division

“Qatar is the only night race on the calendar and as a result, track temperatures are usually quite low. These low temperatures would suggest using softer rubber compounds, but often there is abrasive sand on the track surface which makes durability a priority. This combination of low temperature and high abrasion makes it very tough for tyres, especially on the right shoulders, as they have to be soft enough to provide grip in the low track temperature but hard enough to resist wear. The front tyres also need sufficient stability for the heavy braking points at this circuit.

“Although the layout of the Losail circuit is only moderately severe on tyres, the combination of low temperatures, on-track sand and the elevated humidity levels that can occur mean that overall, this is quite a challenging circuit for tyre development. This weekend will be the first time our 2014 MotoGP tyres will be used in a race situation, and following a large development programme over the past few months I am confident that our 2014 specification slicks are well suited to the performance demands of both the factory and open-class machines.”

Bridgestone slick compounds available: Front: Soft & Hard; Rear: Soft, Medium & Hard (Asymmetric)

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Bridgestone introduces new slick tyre marking system for 2014 MotoGP™ season

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From the first race of the 2014 season, Bridgestone will employ a new colour marking system for its MotoGP™ tyres to make it easier for spectators to see which front and rear tyre options each rider is using at a given time.

The change in the tyre marking system has been devised in response to the Factory and Open-class machines having access to different rear slick options over a race weekend. The old marking system denoted the softer option tyre at each race with a white stripe, regardless of the compound specification of that tyre. The new system means that each of the four slick tyre compounds - Extra-soft, Soft, Medium and Hard – will have its own particular colour for the whole race season.

This change will make it easier for fans to distinguish between the Factory and Open-class tyre allocation, and also distinguish the different front and rear tyre combinations available to riders over a race weekend.

The colour scheme for the 2014 Bridgestone MotoGP slick tyres is as follows:

Extra-soft compound: Green

Soft compound: White

Medium compound: Black (no stripe)

Hard compound: Red

As only two options of wet tyre will be offered for each MotoGP round; wet tyres will still adopt the previous marking system with the plain, black tyre denoting the harder option, while the softer option will be marked with a white stripe.

Hiroshi Yamada – Manager, Bridgestone Motorsport Department

“The new tyre marking scheme is designed to make it easier for fans to see which tyre compound each rider is using on the front and rear of the bike. Before last year when the whole grid was on the same tyre compounds, our old marking system worked perfectly. Since the introduction of the CRT class, and now the grid being split between the Factory and Open-class machines, we’ve decided to change the marking system to suit. Last year, when our marking system used the white stripe to denote the softer option for each class, the audience needed to know if a rider was a Factory or CRT bike to know which compound was being used. Now, even if our audience doesn’t necessarily know the difference between a Factory and Open class bike, by matching distinct colours to each of our tyre compounds they will be able to tell the exact tyre choice of each rider.

“We must also consider that the growing popularity of MotoGP means more and more new fans are tuning in to watch races, and we feel that this new system will make it easier to understand the riders’ tyre choice and add an extra dimension to the MotoGP coverage.”

Bridgestone Press Release

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Bridgestone Preview Aragon MotoGP

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At approximately five kilometres in length, Aragon is a technical circuit with a back straight almost one kilometre long among a mixture of long sweeping corners and slower, tighter curves. The varied nature of the circuit and its susceptibility to changeable weather requires a special approach to front tyre selection. The two front slick compounds, the soft and hard compounds are offered to ensure a broad operating range to deal with whatever weather and track condition occur this weekend.

Last year Bridgestone supplied asymmetric rear slicks for the first time at Aragon and following a successful debut, rear slicks with harder rubber on the left shoulder will once again be supplied this weekend. The CRT entries will have access to the soft and medium option rear slicks, while the more powerful works bikes will be able to select from the medium and hard rear slicks. Owing to the smooth tarmac and possibility for cold weather, the main wet tyre for Aragon is the soft compound option

Hiroshi Yamada - Manager, Bridgestone Motorsport Department

“The Aragon circuit is a state-of-the-art facility located in stunning surroundings which gives it a unique feel among the world championship venues. This technical circuit is quite demanding of the riders, bike and tyres with fast corners and heavy acceleration and braking zones. Jorge has shown great fighting spirit to win the last two races and he will once again have to give his all to beat the Honda riders this weekend, as Aragon is a circuit that Yamaha has yet to enjoy victory at since its introduction to the calendar in 2010. Aragon is the last round before we embark on a busy period of three back-to-back overseas races and undoubtedly the three Spanish riders currently leading the championship will give everything they can to secure a home victory this weekend to help them in their bid to become this year’s MotoGP champion.”

Shinji Aoki - Manager, Bridgestone Motorsport Tyre Development Department

“Aragon is a nice circuit and has a mixed layout that matches fast, flowing sections with some slower corners and chicanes. Compared to other tracks on the calendar, the tarmac here is relatively smooth and slippery so the tyres need to provide good grip, while the long, fast corners and downhill braking zones also require high levels of stability, so tyre development for this circuit is quite challenging.

The weather at Aragon can be quite temperamental and warm or cool conditions are possible, so our front tyre allocation will include the soft and hard compound options to ensure the widest operating temperature range. The soft compound front will give riders maximum edge grip and warm-up performance in cool conditions, while the hard option will provide better cornering and braking stability. We brought asymmetric slicks to Aragon for the first time last year and as these worked well we will once again bring this specification of tyre in the soft, medium and hard compounds.”

Bridgestone slick compounds available: Front: Soft & Hard. Rear: Soft, Medium & Hard (Asymmetric)

Bridgestone wet tyre compounds available: Soft (Main) & Hard (Alternative)

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Bridgestone MotoGP Mugello Review

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Weather conditions for today’s race were a carbon-copy of what was experienced yesterday for qualifying, with and a peak track temperature of 44°C recorded during the twenty-three lap contest. Grip levels were slightly improved from yesterday as there was no rain overnight, ensuring the rubber deposited on the track in yesterday’s sessions remained. With such similar conditions between qualifying and the race, the same tyre combination used in qualifying was again represented in the race tyre choice, with all riders selecting the softer rear slick option available to them, and all but one rider selecting the harder front slick option.  

Lorenzo’s second victory of the season sees him close to within twelve points of Pedrosa in the MotoGP™ World Championship standings, while Marquez’s first DNF of the year sees him twenty-eight points adrift of his teammate and third in the standings.

Hiroshi Yamada – Manager, Bridgestone Motorsport Department

“Congratulations to Jorge and Yamaha on continuing their dominance at Mugello with another victory here today. I am pleased that the crowd numbers at Mugello were up this year as it is one of the highlights of the MotoGP season, though it was a shame for the fans to have Valentino exit the race so early as I am sure he would have put in a strong performance today. Looking back over the weekend, I believe our decision to make all rear slicks for Mugello this year in our heat-resistant construction was correct, as these worked very well for both the works and CRT riders.”

Masao Azuma – Chief Engineer, Bridgestone Motorsport Tyre Development Department

“Conditions for the race were the same as yesterday afternoon and so all the riders selected the same tyre combination that they used yesterday during FP4 and qualifying. We had no overnight rain so track conditions were the best they had been all weekend and this resulted in a very fast pace at the beginning of the race, with Marc setting a new race lap record on the second lap. I’m pleased with how our tyres performed this weekend as even though all our rear slicks this year at Mugello were in our heat-resistant special construction, we still saw new lap records in qualifying and the race.”

Bridgestone slick compounds available: Front: Soft & Medium. Rear: Soft, Medium & Hard (Asymmetric)

Bridgestone wet tyre compounds available: Hard (Main), Soft (Alternative)

Weather:  Dry. Ambient 23-25°C; Track 41-44°C (Bridgestone measurement)

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Bridgestone Mugello Preview

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Mugello is the venue for round five of the 2013 MotoGP™ season and the first of two races on the Italian peninsula this year. The circuit is both a rider and fan favourite owing to its sinuous layout and picturesque setting.

The Mugello circuit is fast and flowing with one of the longest straights on the MotoGP calendar. This straight is preceded by the horseshoe-shaped Bucine corner which slingshots the riders down the hill towards turn one at speeds approaching 350km/h. Consequently, the braking zone into San Donato is the most vicious in MotoGP and requires front tyres with very high levels of structural stability.

In addition to the stability needed under heavy acceleration and braking, the sweeping sections of Casanova-Savelli and Biondetti, as well as high-speed corners such as Arrabbiata 1 and 2, require very high levels of grip from the edge of the tyre. With nine right-handed corners compared to just six left-handers, Bridgestone will provide asymmetric rear slicks with slightly harder rubber on the right shoulders compared to the left.

One of the key performance requirements of the rear slicks developed for Mugello is an ability to withstand very high temperatures for sustained periods. At this circuit, the riders tend to accelerate hard at high lean angles which generates extreme heat, so all the rear slicks Bridgestone will supply this weekend will be in the heat-resistant ‘Special Construction’ specification. This specification of rear slick ensures superior rider safety and consistent grip levels in extreme operating conditions.

Rear slick options for the CRT riders are the soft and medium compound, while the works riders will be offered the medium and hard compound rear slicks. Bridgestone’s front slick tyre compounds for the Italian Grand Prix are devised to ensure maximum braking and cornering stability, while catering to the potential for cool conditions.

Wet conditions are forecast for this weekend and Bridgestone’s main wet tyre for Mugello will be the hard wet tyre, with each rider able to select up to two front and rear tyres in the alternative, soft specification if they desire.

Hiroshi Yamada - Manager, Bridgestone Motorsport Department

“Everyone in the paddock loves coming to Mugello as the circuit is one of the jewels in the crown of MotoGP as it is fast, technically demanding and is situated in a beautiful countryside setting. The circuit is quite demanding on tyres so our development challenge is to provide tyres that ensure enough grip and stability for riders to safely navigate the twisting track, while managing the high temperatures caused by sustained high lean angles and heavy acceleration. While this is an important race on the MotoGP calendar, it is a particularly special event for Ducati as it is their home race, and after their strong showing at Le Mans I am sure the whole team is approaching this weekend full of confidence. The exciting start to the championship has helped deliver healthy crowds, so I hope that this weekend welcomes a large and vibrant crowd at Mugello cheering on its local heroes.”

Shinji Aoki - Manager, Bridgestone Motorsport Tyre Development Department

“Mugello is one of the fastest circuits on the calendar and is tough on tyres due to its technical layout with many high speed corners and the track temperature that often reaches above 50 degrees Celsius. This year’s race will be run earlier in the summer than the last couple of years but excessive track temperatures could still occur. Apart from the high temperatures, the track surface has a high grip level and is abrasive, and there are significant elevation changes which all combine to place significant load on the tyres. The numerous heavy braking points, especially those that are downhill, demand a strong front tyre whilst the many high speed corners require good stability and shoulder grip from the rear tyre. The top speeds reached at Mugello are the highest of the season and this puts significant strain on the centre section of the rear tyres.”

Bridgestone slick compounds available: Front: Soft & Medium. Rear: Soft, Medium & Hard (Asymmetric)

Bridgestone wet tyre compounds available: Hard (Main), Soft (Alternative)

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Bridgestone Le Mans MotoGP Preview

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The fourth round of the 2013 MotoGP™ season takes place at the iconic Le Mans circuit after an exciting start to the championship that has yielded three different winners from the first three races.

At 4.185 kilometres in length, the Le Mans circuit places more emphasis on acceleration and braking rather than outright corner speed due to its many slow corners that are connected by a series of short straight sections. The relatively slow corner speeds means that Le Mans is the least severe circuit on the calendar for tyres, and this combined with the generally cool temperatures means the front and rear slick compounds offered here are at the softest end of the spectrum. The soft rubber compounds ensure quick warm-up, high grip and excellent temperature retention.

At Le Mans, Bridgestone’s rear slick tyres will be available in the extra-soft and soft compounds for CRT riders, and soft and medium compound for the riders on works bikes. The soft and medium rear slicks will be asymmetric in construction with harder rubber on the right shoulder, while the extra-soft rear slick will be symmetric. The front slicks for Le Mans will be the extra-soft and soft compound options. To ensure adequate tyre warm-up in wet conditions, the main wet tyre for Le Mans will be the soft compound.

Hiroshi Yamada - Manager, Bridgestone Motorsport Department

“Le Mans is susceptible to unsettled weather which can throw up some interesting race results and the weather forecast indicates we may once again have cool and wet conditions over the race weekend. If conditions are changeable, this could make evaluating tyres and finding a race setup a challenge for the riders so I expect it will be an especially busy weekend for all the teams. We’ve had such an exciting start to the season and with Le Mans having a history of delivering dramatic races, I hope the excitement continues at what is one of the most famous motorsport venues in the world. I am glad to see that Karel Abraham will make a return to racing after his absence through injury and I extend my best wishes to Ben Spies and hope him a swift and full recovery from his shoulder injury.”

Shinji Aoki - Manager, Bridgestone Motorsport Tyre Development Department

“Le Mans is a slippery and smooth circuit and often for this race the track temperature can be quite low, so we bring slicks with softer compounds to ensure adequate warm-up performance and grip. The circuit has a stop-and-go nature and overall, the lateral loads placed on the tyres at Le Mans are low, which is another reason we provide softer compounds here. Another performance requirement here is to provide tyres that provide maximum stability under braking. The circuit has an unbalanced layout that uses the right shoulders more than the left, especially on the exit of turn nine, so the soft and medium rear slicks are asymmetric with harder rubber on the right shoulder, while the CRT-specific extra-soft slick is symmetric in construction.

“The unstable weather at Le Mans can have a significant impact upon bike settings and tyre choice and in previous years we have seen vastly different conditions from one session to the other. The propensity for cool weather at Le Mans means the soft compound wet tyre is main specification for this weekend.”

Bridgestone slick compounds available: Front: Extra-soft, Soft Rear: Extra-soft (Symmetric), Soft, Medium (Asymmetric)

Bridgestone wet tyre compounds available: Soft (Main), Hard (Alternative)

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Bridgestone Jerez MotoGP Preview

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Comprising eight right-hand and five left-hand corners, Jerez is the only circuit on the calendar that doesn’t require asymmetric rear slicks. The three options of symmetric rear slick available at Jerez - the extra-soft, soft and medium compounds – are towards the softer end of the range Bridgestone provides to ensure optimum warm-up performance and safety at a venue that can experience a wide range of temperatures. The softer rear slick options also ensure maximum grip at high lean angles which is important at Jerez where good corner speed is crucial to making competitive lap times. The emphasis on edge grip over braking stability is also reflected in the front slick tyre allocation for this race, where the soft and medium compound options are offered.

Following tyre analysis at the Jerez pre-season test at the end of March, Bridgestone quickly acted to revise its wet tyre allocation for the upcoming race weekend. Alongside the main specification, hard wet tyre compound, an alternative extra-hard rear wet tyre will be offered for greater durability against the abrasive Jerez tarmac. The Spanish Grand Prix is the only race on the calendar where an extra-hard wet tyre option will be made available.

Hiroshi Yamada - Manager, Bridgestone Motorsport Department

“I am very much looking forward to this weekend as it is always special racing in Europe and with the exciting start we‘ve had to the season and the success of the Spanish riders in the championship so far, I expect a large and vocal crowd to be present at Jerez.

“During the Jerez test, tyre analysis revealed our hard compound wet rear tyre exhibited high wear and abrasion on the combination of the latest machines and the abrasive track surface, so we immediately changed our production schedule to ensure supply of an alternative extra-hard rear wet tyres for the upcoming race. This is a special wet tyre produced just for the Spanish Grand Prix and is a compound that isn’t part of our regular wet tyre allocation.”

Shinji Aoki - Manager, Bridgestone Motorsport Tyre Development Department

“Jerez is a technical circuit with a mix of fast and slow corners. It is a good test circuit because of the diversity of the corner layout and this means that we require a tyre with a very balanced character to provide good handling from low speed to high speed and from flat corners to changes in elevation. The surface is smooth which is easier for the tyre’s centre section but it is also abrasive so we have to pick compounds that can withstand abrasion. Although the track temperature during the race weekend is historically high, in the last couple of years we’ve also experienced cooler conditions at times, so our tyres have to perform over a wide range of temperatures.

“At the Jerez pre-season test we were able to test our wet tyres in a wide range of conditions from damp to fully wet, and we discovered that the wear of the hard compound wet rear tyre in some cases was severe. As the grip feeling from the hard compound wet tyre was adequate in cool conditions, we discussed with the riders about changing the wet tyre allocation for the Jerez race and it was agreed that we would bring an extra-hard wet rear tyre as our alternative specification. Each rider this weekend will now be given a maximum of two extra-hard rear wet tyres as an alternative to the main hard compound wet tyre.”

Bridgestone Press Release

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Bridgestone Austin MotoGP Preview

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The second round of the 2013 MotoGP season takes place at the state-of-the-art Circuit of The Americas in Austin, Texas as the championship welcomes a new venue to the calendar.

At 5.515 kilometres in length, the Circuit of the Americas is a technical track featuring big changes in elevation, a combination of slow and fast corners and a 1200 metre back straight - the longest on the MotoGP™ calendar - which starts and ends with tight hairpin corners.

The Americas Grand Prix is the first event of the season in which CRT and non-CRT riders will be allocated different specifications of rear slick tyre. Although there are fewer right-hand corners compared to left-hand corners at this circuit, the presence of several mid to high speed right-hand corners creates higher tyre temperatures on the right shoulder of the tyres. As a result, asymmetric rear slicks with slightly harder rubber on the right shoulders will be offered at this race. A total of three rear slick compounds the soft, medium and hard options will be offered at Austin, with CRT riders able to use the soft and medium options, non-CRT riders the medium and hard.

Front slick compounds are the soft and medium options to give riders the highest levels of front-end feel through the twisting sections of the track which feature numerous changes of direction, while the main wet tyre for the Circuit of the Americas will be the soft compound option.

Hiroshi Yamada - Manager, Bridgestone Motorsport Department

“The United States is a very important market to Bridgestone and to increase our presence in this region with a third race on the calendar is welcomed, particularly at such an amazing venue as the Circuit of the Americas. The first race in Qatar was a thrilling contest and I am sure that at this circuit, which is an unknown quantity for many of the riders, we will witness another exciting race. I am pleased that a new collection of American fans will get to witness what a great motorsport series MotoGP is, and I hope they turn out in large number to support their home-grown heroes Ben, Colin and Nicky and also to cheer on the two American wildcard riders, Blake Young and Michael Barnes”

Shinji Aoki - Manager, Bridgestone Motorsport Tyre Development Department

“Austin’s Circuit of the Americas welcomes MotoGP for the first time and its impressive layout created a real challenge for tyre development. Like the other American circuits on the calendar it is run in a counter-clockwise directions, and the track is technical with a mix of tight, slower corners and faster, more open sections. These features combine to place a great importance on front-end feel as maintaining good corner speed is critical at this track, so our front tyres need to provide excellent grip characteristics with plenty of stability, while the rears must give good drive out of the corners.

“Our data from testing shows that the faster right-hand corners at the circuit require slightly harder rubber on the right shoulder of the rear slicks for greater stability and durability, so we will bring asymmetric rear slicks at Austin. Front tyre compounds for this race will be soft & medium, while the rear slick compounds for CRT riders will be soft and medium, and for non-CRT riders, medium and hard.”

Bridgestone slick compounds available: Front: Soft, Medium; Rear: Soft, Medium, Hard (Asymmetric)

Bridgestone wet tyre compounds available: Soft (Main), Hard (Alternative)

Bridgestone Press Release

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Bridgestone Review Losail MotoGP 2013

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Track temperatures were cooler again today with a peak of 23°C and though the wind reduced in intensity compared to yesterday, there was still a significant amount of sand on the tarmac. As track conditions were quite dusty for the race, all riders opted for the softer rear slick to ensure maximum edge grip in the tricky conditions, while all but two riders – Bautista and Pesek – selected the harder front slick. Despite the less than ideal track conditions, the overall race time was five seconds faster than last year and Marc Marquez’s quickest race lap of 1'55.445 was just three-tenths short of the race lap record.

Shinji Aoki - Manager, Bridgestone Motorsport Tyre Development Department

“The tyre combination that was most popular during practice and qualifying proved to be the best choice for the race, with all but two riders selecting the harder front slick paired with the softer rear. The track temperature was cooler than yesterday and this combined with the dusty track made the softer rear slick the option that would ensure the best combination of edge grip and rear drive. The softer rear slick still offered enough durability for a race distance and it was pleasing to see that despite the less than ideal track conditions, the overall race time was almost five seconds quicker than last year. Overall, I am happy with tyre performance over the first race weekend of the season and it was excellent to get the season started with such an exciting contest.”

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Bridgestone Qatar MotoGP Preview

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This year is Bridgestone’s fifth as Official Tyre Supplier to MotoGP and during that time, it has been the fast and technical Losail circuit that has hosted the season opener. This year sees a new practice and qualifying format which has brought with it a revision in tyre allocation, with each rider being given one extra rear slick and an extra set of wet tyres at each race compared to last year.

Bridgestone has also responded to rider requests by allowing selection of up to seven of the softer option rear slicks at each race weekend, compared to six last year. Although the total number of front slicks allocated to each rider remains the same at nine tyres, riders have greater flexibility in how they can select their tyre compounds and can now choose up to six tyres in either the softer or harder slick option, up from five last year. Slick compounds for the front tyre remain unchanged this season, though the names of the front slick compounds have been revised to extra-soft, soft, medium and hard to make them consistent with the rear slick tyre.

The desert setting of Losail brings with it cool track temperatures at night and the potential for wind-blown sand which when combined with the flowing nature of the circuit, creates a challenging environment for race tyres. Although Bridgestone is offering different rear slick specifications for the CRT and works riders this season, the particular demands of this circuit mean that two specifications of rear slick – the medium and hard asymmetric rears - will be provided for all riders at this race. Front slick tyre compounds for Qatar are the same as last year, with the soft and hard compounds giving the variety needed to manage the changeable grip and abrasion levels that often occur at this circuit.

Hiroshi Yamada - Manager, Bridgestone Motorsport Department

“It is with great pride that Bridgestone commences its fifth year as Official Tyre Supplier to MotoGP this weekend at Qatar. This race also marks the introduction of the revised tyre allocation regulations which sees every rider receiving one extra rear slick and an extra set of wet tyres, and this change is just the latest example of Bridgestone’s continued commitment to improving its quality of service to the riders and teams.

“Many riders have shown good form in pre-season testing and the pace across the whole grid is more competitive, so I am confident that we will see an exciting race this weekend and that the season as a whole will be one to remember. I am also very interested to see the new qualifying format in action, and I’d like to wish everyone competing in this year’s MotoGP championship a safe and successful campaign.”

Shinji Aoki - Manager, Bridgestone Motorsport Tyre Development Division

“The first race of the season at Qatar presents quite a challenge for tyre development. Being run at night, track temperatures are always quite low which would normally require softer compounds, but the desert sand often blows across the circuit, making the surface quite abrasive which makes durability also a priority. This combination of low temperature and high abrasion makes it very tough for tyres, especially on the right shoulders, as they have to be soft enough to provide grip in the low track temperature but hard enough to resist wear. The tyres also need sufficient stability for the heavy braking points.

“To meet these demands, last year we brought asymmetric rear slicks to Qatar for the first time and this helped improve performance and safety, so we will offer the same this year in the medium and hard compounds. Our front tyre compounds will be soft and hard, with the softer option being offered in case especially cool conditions occur.”

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Bridgestone Review Jerez MotoGP Test 2013

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A total of twenty-five riders took part in the Jerez test, with a wide range of weather conditions allowing teams to work on bike settings for wet and dry conditions. Rain fell on each day of the test and track temperatures varied from a low of 13°C at the start of testing on Saturday to a peak of 32°C at 1400 on the second day of the test.

Sunday and Monday afternoon presented a track that was mainly dry but with damp patches with riders opting for the softer slick compounds during these periods for maximum grip and warm-up performance in the challenging conditions. For the Jerez test, Bridgestone supplied the hard compound wet tyre, but long runs in wet conditions revealed that the abrasive surface of the Jerez circuit caused excessive wear for some riders. In response, Bridgestone has changed its production schedule to ensure each rider will have two extra-hard compound rear wet tyres delivered for the Jerez race weekend that commences on May 3rd.

Shinji Aoki - Manager, Bridgestone Motorsport Tyre Development Department

“The weather conditions at Jerez were quite variable with lots of rain, but from our perspective this test gave us a lot of valuable data. The long periods of wet weather allowed us to gather a lot of data on wet tyre performance at this circuit, and our analysis and rider feedback indicated that at this track with the 1000cc bikes, a wet tyre with more durability is required. Consequently, we will provide each rider with two extra-hard rear wet tyres in their allocation for the Jerez race. Although the rain did stop on the last two days of the test, the state of track surface wasn’t ideal, so it was positive to see that riders were able to lap within the circuit record in the cool and damp conditions.

“Overall, I am pleased with what we achieved during our pre-season test programme and I’d like to thank all the riders and teams for their cooperation over the past couple of months. I am looking forward to the first race at Qatar and to what promises to be an exciting season.”

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Bridgestone MotoGP Test Sepang 2 Review

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Weather conditions were variable over the three days of testing, with riders experiencing wet and dry conditions and track temperatures ranging from 30-54°C. The two experimental hard rubber compounds developed by Bridgestone that were assessed at the first Sepang test were not evaluated this time around, with riders instead focusing on getting the best out of the current hard compound. The CRT-specific soft rear slick was again extensively used at Sepang and received further positive feedback from riders.

The next and final MotoGP pre-season group test is scheduled for Spain’s Jerez Circuit from March 23-25, with the first race of the 2013 season at Qatar’s Losail Circuit taking place two weeks later on April 7.

Masao Azuma – Chief Engineer, Bridgestone Motorsport Tyre Development Department

“This was another productive test at Sepang with riders having a wide variety of track conditions on which to evaluate the tyres, so lots of useful data was acquired. No experimental tyres were evaluated at the second Sepang test, instead the teams focused on testing our existing tyre specifications and how these interact with the bike developments they have made for this season.

“Testing at Sepang is quite tough physically and mentally, so I’d like to extend my thanks to all the teams and riders for their cooperation over the last few days. The Bridgestone Motorsport team will now convene at Jerez at the end of March for the final official MotoGP test before the season starts, and we will also be supporting teams in their private testing programmes over the coming weeks.”

Bridgestone Press Release

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video: Valentino Rossi Bridgestone 'Mission Rossi'

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Valentino Rossi's biggest fan sets out on an elaborate mission to meet his hero. Infiltrating Bridgestone's headquarters, 'Yellow Man' scales fences, jumps through windows and breaches security, all with one mission in mind - to meet the nine-time World Champion. Will he succeed or won't he? 

To find out how you could win a chance to meet Valentino, visit http://www.mission-rossi.com

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Bridgestone rolls out new rubber for the first MotoGP group test of 2013

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Bridgestone heads to Malaysia’s Sepang International Circuit to support the first MotoGP™ group test of 2013, as the world’s largest rubber goods manufacturer begins its fifth season as the official tyre supplier to the class.

In keeping with Bridgestone’s philosophy of creating safer race tyres with superior warm-up performance and rider feel, tyre development over the winter focused on creating a suite of softer rear slicks specifically for the CRT class. Bridgestone has also recently developed a new, more user-friendly hard rubber compound.

The CRT-specific rear slicks represent the first time Bridgestone has made different specifications of tyre for the CRT machines, that use production-based engines, and the ‘works’ bikes – the factory and satellite entries from Ducati, Honda and Yamaha. The slicks developed for the CRT class will feature the same construction, though they will utilise compounds one step softer than those provided to the ‘works’ bikes.

For example, at Sepang, the ‘works’ bikes will be allocated the medium and hard compound slicks while the CRT machines will be supplied with slick options that are one step softer; soft and medium.

The upcoming Sepang test marks the first major trial for this new range of slicks developed for CRT entries. Bridgestone will analyse data from the riders using these new slicks, while also working closely with Dorna and the FIM before a final decision will be made on whether these tyres are made available for the upcoming season.

Bridgestone’s other off-season development, a revised hard rubber compound, is slightly softer in composition moving it closer to the medium specification compound in character. This improvement aims to further widen the performance window of slick tyres using the hard rubber compound, encouraging greater use of this option at races. Bridgestone will supply the ‘works’ machines with experimental tyres featuring this new hard rubber compound at Sepang for evaluation.

This year the MotoGP™ World Championship will boast its largest full-time grid in many years and as always, Bridgestone will provide equal and fair support to each of the twenty-four riders taking part. In addition to supporting the group tests, Bridgestone’s engineers will travel all over the world to aid teams in their pre-season testing programmes, working closely with the riders to help them get the most out of the 2013 specification tyres.

Hiroshi Yamada - Manager, Bridgestone Motorsport Department

“The first group test of the year will certainly be busy, as all twenty-four full-time riders in MotoGP this season will take part, as well as five test riders, making a total of twenty-nine participants. It is pleasing that so many riders will take to the track in Malaysia as it shows that despite the difficult economic climate at the moment, the MotoGP championship is in good health and continues to grow.

“Bridgestone has a full testing plan in place for this first test which is a key event in our ongoing tyre development programme. We are also looking at ways to revise our tyre marking system to make tyre identification easier for the media and fans, the first step of this process will take place at Sepang next week.”

Shinji Aoki - Manager, Bridgestone Motorsport Tyre Development Department

“For last season the Motorsport Tyre Development Department focused on improving the safety characteristics of Bridgestone’s MotoGP tyres while maintaining high levels of performance. Although we were successful in achieving this objective, we’ve not rested on our laurels and have continued down this development path and as a result we will have a wide selection of slick tyres for riders to evaluate at Sepang.

“This first test in Malaysia is very important to our MotoGP tyre development programme as feedback from this test will steer development for the rest of the pre-season before we finalise our tyre specifications for the year ahead.”

Bridgestone MotoGP Press Release

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video: Valentino Rossi rides the Bridgestone Battlax T30

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Video Valentino Rossi ridse the Bridgestone Battlax T30

source: Bridgestone Youtube Page
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Bridgestone’s Hiroshi Yamada discusses the upcoming 2013 MotoGP season

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With the first MotoGP pre-season test of 2013 less than a month away, Hiroshi Yamada, Manager of Bridgestone’s Motorsport Department, explains the development work the Japanese tyre manufacturer has undertaken ahead of its fifth year as Official Tyre Supplier to the world’s premier class of motorcycle road racing.

Yamada-san, last season presented Bridgestone with a significant challenge to produce tyres that met the demands of the new 1000cc MotoGP machines while delivering improved levels of rider safety. Are you satisfied that the 2012 specification tyres achieved their objective?

“Most definitely. Our goal was to provide a family of tyres that were safer, easier for riders to understand and have the performance to meet the demands of the new generation of 1000cc MotoGP motorcycles. Based on the empirical data and feedback from the riders, we achieved this objective so yes, I am very satisfied.

“The top speed, acceleration and general level of performance of the MotoGP machines improved last year due to the extra power of the 1000cc engines and in addition, the minimum machine weight also increased which combined to create even harsher conditions for tyres. Despite these challenges and our shift in development focus to making safer tyres, the performance of our 2012 tyres was excellent with nine new race record lap times being set and many races having quicker overall race times.

“Also, the introduction of the CRT machines meant for the first time since becoming sole supplier to MotoGP we had to develop a tyre to suit machines with vastly different power outputs and performance. This challenge was especially important to us as it made our MotoGP tyre development more relevant to our motorcycle road tyre programme than ever before. Last season was valuable in learning how to develop a tyre that can deliver safety and performance under a wide range of operating conditions.”

What development path has Bridgestone taken for the 2013 specification MotoGP tyres?

“We will continue to use same basic specification for our 2013 tyres. The construction of the 2012 specification tyres received a good appraisal from the riders and it makes sense for the riders, teams and manufacturers to use the same construction for this season.

“However, we have undertaken some compound development for this season and will also use our current rubber compounds in different ways. Perhaps the biggest change for this year is that we have utilised our existing extra-soft rubber compound to create a range of soft rear slicks purely for the CRT entries, providing them with a more suitable rear tyre allocation for races. We have also continued development of a new hard rubber compound that will bring this option closer to the medium rubber compound and make the harder option rear slicks a more desirable option among the works machines.”

So like last year, Bridgestone will offer the same specification of tyre to all the bikes on the grid, but for this season there will be a split in the compound choices available to CRT and works bikes?

“Yes the construction of all the tyres for the 2013 season will remain the same, only the compounds available to each specification of machine will differ. For this year there will be up to three rear slick options available for each race, with the CRT entries being able to select the softer and medium rear option, while the works bikes will select from the medium and harder options.

“We believe there is no need to develop a specific tyre construction for CRT entries as our feedback from riders on these bikes is that the feel and behaviour of the tyres is excellent. However, we did have some CRT riders request a softer option of rear slick so we will be using our softer rubber compounds to make rear slick options that better suit these less powerful machines.

“This decision is also verified by the data from last year which showed that CRT riders didn’t select the harder rear option for the race very often, so after discussions with Dorna and the FIM it was clear that the most logical solution was to make separate tyre choices available for works and CRT bikes.”

Are there any other changes to the tyre supply for MotoGP in 2013?

“From a development perspective there won’t be any other changes, however, there will be a revision to the front and rear slick allocation to give riders greater flexibility when selecting their tyres for the race weekend.

“In response to the increase in practice and qualifying sessions this season, each rider will be granted one extra rear slick tyre in their allocation, bringing the total up to eleven rear slicks per rider. Also, a slight change has been made to the front tyre allocation, with the extra-soft front option that was previously available but never used being dropped, allowing for riders to choose a greater number of front tyres from the regular softer and harder options specified for each race.

“This revision to the front tyre supply is being implemented following feedback we had from riders last year – they are very happy with our current generation of front slick but want the ability to select a greater number of the specification of tyre they are more likely to use in a race setting.”

From a personal perspective, what are you expecting for the upcoming season?

“There is so much to look forward to this season! We have talented riders moving into MotoGP and many established stars changing teams. Jorge will be determined to defend his title, but Dani showed last season he will be hard to beat, while Valentino moves back to the team he won two world championships with. Ducati have also put together an extremely strong team with four excellent riders, so I anticipate some fantastic racing this year.

“Of course, fans will watch with interest to see how the CRT teams develop in their second season. Last year we had new bikes, teams and riders coming together for the first time and so with a year of experience under their belt these teams should start to show their real potential. Also, the new practice and qualifying format should create a real competitive edge among the riders throughout all the sessions, so I think MotoGP fans are in for an exciting season.”

Bridgestone Press Release

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