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30.09.2007
Bridgestone Motorsport’s Japanese Grand Prix review
Lewis Hamilton (McLaren Mercedes) has won the Japanese Grand Prix using Bridgestone’s extreme wet tyres after a race which started behind the safety car and saw persistent rain and fog at the Fuji Speedway. Hamilton made one pit stop during his race, changing one set of extreme wet tyres for another, and was joined on the podium by Heikki Kovalainen (Renault) and Kimi Raikkonen (Ferrari).
The weather conditions meant that Bridgestone’s extreme wet Potenza Formula One tyre was the appropriate tyre in this race, a view confirmed by the stewards of the meeting. The two Ferraris, however, started on the Bridgestone wet tyre but pitted to change to the extreme wet whilst the safety car was still circulating at the beginning of the race. Despite this, Raikkonen worked through the field to take the final podium position. It was a race of two safety car periods, the first at the start which lasted until lap 19. A spin from championship contender Fernando Alonso caused the second one when he span off the track. Despite Alonso’s non-score today, he is still in second place in the drivers’ championship, 12 points behind Hamilton. Bridgestone Potenza Formula One tyres will next be in race action at the Sinopec Chinese Grand Prix at Shanghai on October 5-7 where Bridgestone’s hard and medium compound Potenza F1 tyres will be used.
Shoshi Arakawa - Bridgestone Corporation, Chairman of the Board, President and CEO, said: "Congratulations to Mr Hamilton for his victory here at Fuji Speedway. Unfortunately for the fans we had rain today, however our extreme wet tyres provided high performance in the difficult conditions and this helped provide an exciting race. We have seen two wet races so far in 2007 and both times our wet tyres have done a good job. Bridgestone are proud to support all of the Formula One teams and drivers with our full efforts." Hirohide Hamashima - Director of Bridgestone Motorsport Tyre Development, said: "Track conditions were difficult today but our extreme wet tyres worked very well. The appearance and grip level of our tyres was very good for all of the drivers, including the one in the safety car. We are happy that the race was started, and with all of the drivers, unlike here in 1976 when weather conditions were similar, and not all the drivers started. Initially, the rain was not too hard, but the standing water meant that visibility was very poor and the race started behind the safety car. We saw some very interesting strategies because of the long safety car period at the start. Drivers had to concentrate very hard once racing was underway. I am disappointed for Red Bull and Toro Rosso as they could have been on the podium had they not had their incident." Temperatures Ambient Track Weather Race – PM 15C 20C-19C-20C Rain
Bridgestone Potenza Driver Tyre Strategies Rd.15 – Japanese Grand Prix In 2007, the tyre regulations stipulate that the two dry tyre specifications must be visibly distinguishable from each other. For the Japanese Grand Prix weekend, the soft compound Bridgestone Potenza tyre was marked with a white line in the second from inside groove. Wet and extreme wet tyres were used during the Japanese Grand Prix.
Team Race Driver Tyre by Stint*: Wet or Extreme Wets
ING Renault F1 Team Giancarlo Fisichella Extreme Wet – Extreme Wet Heikki Kovalainen Extreme Wet – Extreme Wet
Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro Felipe Massa Wet – Extreme Wet – Extreme Wet – Extreme Wet – Extreme Wet Kimi Raikkonen Wet – Extreme Wet – Extreme Wet – Extreme Wet
Vodafone McLaren Mercedes Fernando Alonso Extreme Wet – Extreme Wet / DNF Lewis Hamilton Extreme Wet – Extreme Wet
Honda Racing F1 Team Jenson Button Extreme Wet – Extreme Wet Rubens Barrichello Extreme Wet – Extreme Wet – Extreme Wet
BMW Sauber F1 Team Nick Heidfeld Extreme Wet – Extreme Wet Robert Kubica Extreme Wet – Extreme Wet – Extreme Wet
Panasonic Toyota Racing Ralf Schumacher Extreme Wet – Extreme Wet – Extreme Wet – Extreme Wet / DNF Jarno Trulli Extreme Wet – Extreme Wet – Extreme Wet
Red Bull Racing David Coulthard Extreme Wet – Extreme Wet Mark Webber Extreme Wet – Extreme Wet / DNF
AT&T Williams Team Nico Rosberg Extreme Wet – Extreme Wet – Extreme Wet / DNF Alex Wurz Extreme Wet – Extreme Wet / DNF
Scuderia Toro Rosso Vitantonio Liuzzi Extreme Wet – Extreme Wet – Extreme Wet Sebastian Vettel Extreme Wet – Extreme Wet / DNF
Etihad Aldar Spyker F1 Team Adrian Sutil Extreme Wet – Extreme Wet Sakon Yamamoto Extreme Wet – Extreme Wet – Extreme Wet
Super Aguri F1 Team Takuma Sato Extreme Wet – Extreme Wet – Extreme Wet – Extreme Wet Anthony Davidson Extreme Wet – Extreme Wet / DNF * Teams did not necessarily change tyres at pitstops.
- Rachel Ingham , Andy Stobart –
Author: maggy (admin2)
Last modified: Sunday, 30.09.2007 - 04:38 More reports from this category all copyright automobilsport.com.
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