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After a thrilling second round
of the FIA Formula One World Championship in Malaysia last weekend,
Bridgestone Motorsport moves on to round three, the Gulf Air Bahrain Grand
Prix. It will be the fourth running of the event at the 5.412 km Bahrain
International Circuit which features a diverse mix of corners allied to fast
straights.
 Like the Malaysian Grand Prix, the expected heat will be a factor for all
competitors on the Bridgestone Potenza tyres with the hard and medium
compounds being used once more for this race. The medium tyre will be
distinguished by a white marking along the bottom of the second from inside
groove.
Q&A Kees van de Grint, Bridgestone Motorsport Head of Track Engineering
Operations:
What are the crucial elements to get good use from tyres in Bahrain?
“Good traction is essential at the Bahrain International Circuit. At six
corners in particular it is very important to gain speed for the long
straights which follow. After these straights there is of course heavy
braking but maximising the traction out of the corners is crucial. If the
traction is less than optimum it creates heat and high wear to the tyres.”
Bahrain, like Malaysia, is a circuit where the teams have tested
extensively. Will this be a factor?
“Testing at a venue where we are going to race allows us, as sole tyre
supplier, to confirm that we have made the correct predictions from our
theoretical data about which tyre compounds to use. For teams it allows them
to engineer their car to be as fast as it can be at the circuit and this is
particularly the case with Bahrain where most of the teams have tested for
six days already this year.”
Are you happy with how the tyre marking fared in race conditions?
“I am very happy with how the markings performed in race conditions. They
could be seen well by spectators and the media and on television they showed
particularly well on the onboard cameras.”
Stats & Facts
Number & Spec of tyres brought to Sepang: 2,200 (hard & medium)
Pole position time 2006: 1m 31.431s (M Schumacher, Ferrari)
Fastest race lap 2006: 1m 32.408s (N Rosberg, Williams)
Top three 2006: F Alonso, M Schumacher, K Raikkonen |
