Bridgestone unlikely to use 'red tyres'

[davewilson]

The introduction of 'red tyres' in Formula One next season to differentiate compounds is unlikely to happen, autosport.com has learned, even though Bridgestone remain open to the idea.

Drivers will have to use both tyre compounds during races this season after the FIA rubber-stamped a push by the teams and Bridgestone to spice up the racing for 2007.

Article 77c of the FIA Sporting Regulations, published last October, states: "Unless he has used wet or extreme-weather tyres during the race, each driver must use at least one set of each specification of dry-weather tyres during the race."

The rule should add another variable to the races and will ensure that Bridgestone are not wasting tyres that are brought to race weekends.

Although there had been some discussion about the introduction of the rule also resulting in F1 adopting the 'red tyre' scenario seen in Champ Car, where the sidewall of the soft option tyres are painted red to indicate the type of rubber being used, it is unlikely that such a move will be followed by F1.

A Bridgestone spokesman told autosport.com that there were currently no plans for the tyres to be painted red, and that teams will therefore be able to keep rivals and the public guessing about exactly what type of compound they are using.

"We have not officially been requested to do it," she said about the possibility of the sidewalls being painted red.

Bridgestone's former technical manager Hisao Suganuma told autosport.com in December that a 'red tyre' rule could prove costly to his company because of the varying demands F1 circuits place on tyres.

"Taking account of the production of such tyres, we need to think," he explained. "For example, in Champ Car softer tyres have the red mark on the sidewall.

"Maybe we would have some difficulty because the softer tyre on a circuit may be the harder tyre on another circuit, which means we need to have all the different specifications in double colours - one with a standard sidewall and the other with a coloured sidewall.

"That makes it more difficult. If we need to do that we should think about the best way to do it.

"Personally in theory we can do it, but it is the discussion between the FIA and the Bridgestone teams. If F1 requires us to consider it we will cooperate."

The Stig