Bridgestone scraps 2009 "gap" policy

Date
2009-07-01

Bridgestone has scrapped its policy of leaving a gap between the two types of tyre compounds supplied to Formula One teams in 2009.
At the remaining rounds of the season following next Sunday's German Grand Prix, the sport's official tyre supplier will instead revert to supplying consecutive compounds.
Fernando Alonso had hit out at the situation earlier this year, slamming the policy as in the interests of a false spectacle while making the drivers look "ridiculous".
"We have made the change to the tyre allocation concept based on the data we have collected from races so far this year combined with our knowledge of the tracks we visit for these (next) races," director of tyre development Hirohide Hamashima said.
He said continuing the 'gap' policy would have caused problems at the next five races, including the twisty Hungary and Valencia, cool Spa-Francorchamps and Monza in Italy.