Stewart Backs Bridgestone Over Bias Claims.
Jackie Stewart has condemned accusations of bias believed to have been shown to Ferrari by tyre company Bridgestone.
Critics of the latest testing agreement have pointed to the fact that the Italian team is allowed greater track-time than its rival under the auspices of conducting research for Bridgestone. They also allude to a deeper relationship between the two parties, linked to the supply of tyres for Ferrari's road cars. Stewart, however, believes that Bridgestone would be unwilling to risk its links with other manufacturers simply to help one in this way.
Jackie Stewart has condemned accusations of bias believed to have been shown to Ferrari by tyre company Bridgestone.
Critics of the latest testing agreement have pointed to the fact that the Italian team is allowed greater track-time than its rival under the auspices of conducting research for Bridgestone. They also allude to a deeper relationship between the two parties, linked to the supply of tyres for Ferrari's road cars. Stewart, however, believes that Bridgestone would be unwilling to risk its links with other manufacturers simply to help one in this way.
"Ferrari has a quality name, but they are a very small producer of cars," the Scot pointed out, "Ford is [Bridgestone's] largest customer in the world, and Mercedes is a very big user of its tyres, so the leverage that would be extended to stop something of that kind happening would beyond their consideration."
Bridgestone has angered several teams, including Williams, by appearing to weaken its hold over testing conditions.The Japanese company has said that no outfit will be restricted to just 50 days of testing, provided that they use no more than the allocated 200 sets of tyres set out in the pre-season deal agreed with the teams.
