Japanese tyre maker Bridgestone will head to this weekend’s Monaco Grand Prix armed with two new compounds to tackle the unique event.
There is a great incentive for the company to succeed on Sunday - Bridgestone has won the past four Monaco races and if a car fitted with its tyres wins this weekend, it will be the firm’s 60th GP victory.
‘We go into the Monaco race weekend with an 83 per cent success rate in terms of race wins on our tyres so far this season,’ said Programme chief Hiroshi Yasukawa.
‘Our performance at Monaco has been impressive to date so I am looking forward to a successful weekend. Four of our teams have collected points in the last two races and we will be doing everything we can to help all our teams fulfil their ambitions on Sunday.’
Technical Boss Hiroshi Yasukawa said the compound solutions had to be very precise for the event.
‘The compounds for Monaco are always the softest of those we take to any race because of the nature of the track,’ he explained. ‘The adjustments one can make to the car to find grip and improve its handling around the twisty street circuit are limited but the right tyre choice can made a significant difference.
‘Both our new compounds are from the softer end of our range. We have also developed a new construction especially for this race. In addition, we have developed a new intermediate tyre especially for Monaco.’
Track preparations for Monaco, Suganuma said, were a hit-and-miss affair because there are no circuits like it.
‘Testing for Monaco is a challenge because recreating its special characteristics at a ‘normal’ track is impossible,’ he said. ‘However, we have learned a lot from the five races in which we have competed there and know what it takes to produce race-winning tyres.
‘The nature of the Monaco track means finding grip and traction are the priorities of the weekend. But the narrow circuit also presents other problems for tyres. There is very little room for error, literally, with the barriers just inches away at certain parts of the track. Manhole covers are a further opportunity for damage while painted road-markings add to the risk of sliding.
‘All in all, it’s very difficult.’
