"But, in 2008 and 2009, it's going to be a gradual process. One is extremely pleased by the excellent testing times we've had - Fisichella was fourth one day - but am I going to hang my boots on it and say we're going to be among the top five? Absolutely not. We have a lot of work to do, but we're moving in the right direction very positively, and in a very determined manner."
While team names and owners change around it,
Bridgestone remains a constant in
F1, and will continue to be the category’s sole tyre supplier in 2008.
Only minor evolutionary changes are expected for this year’s tyres, meaning continuity for the teams and drivers. This also places the responsibility on the teams to extract the maximum from the Potenza tyres at their disposal.
Bridgestone’s medium and soft compounds will be used in Melbourne, a circuit where compound choice is difficult to make due to the varying weather conditions and changing levels of grip on a surface only used once a year, but Bridgestone will again be making available a whole gamut of compounds to cope with the various circuits on the schedule.
As in 2007, the softer of the two dry weather compounds will be marked with a white line to allow teams and spectators alike to get a better grasp of strategies, while, for the first time this year, the extreme wet – should it be required – will also be similarly indicated.
"This will be our second year supplying all of the teams in
Formula One and our first as official tyre supplier to the
FIA Formula One World Championship," says director of motorsport Hiroshi Yasukawa, "We are very proud to have good relationships with all of the teams in Formula One and we work hard to maintain our fairness in supply to these teams."
The Albert Park temporary street course features 16 turns over its 5.3km length and is something of a compromise in terms of its layout.
