Bridgestone voices safety concerns

[Sodemo]

Can someone copy and paste the story from autosport.com on this matter, I cannot access it, and no other website has this story.

Many thanks.

[Mark F1]

Bridgestone voices safety concerns

Hisao Suganuma explains implications of new rules

Teams will have no wet weather tyre choice in 2003

Formula 1's new rule of allowing its tyre manufacturers to bring just one type of wet-weather rubber to each grand prix in 2003, could have safety implications.

That is the view of Bridgestone's technical manager Hisao Suganuma, who believes the limitation to one tread pattern and compound is too severe.

"Personally, I would prefer to have at least two types of rain tyre allowed at each event," he said. "Reducing the range of rain tyres available to just one specification does have safety implications. Weather conditions are completely unpredictable. In my view, a choice of tyre is necessary but we have to work within the new regulations"

"Even though the decision on which specification to take to each race will be taken very carefully, in the end the weather may not be as expected and the tyre may not suit the particular conditions we encounter on any given day.

"In my view, a choice of tyre is necessary but we have to work within the new regulations so this represents another fresh challenge for us."

Bridgestone is to increase its wet tyre development to find the best compounds and tread patterns in the next three weeks of pre-Christmas F1 testing.

[Dutton]

They should start investigating whether they can create "intelligent" rubber. Like it would alter the compund stiffness, possibly even sidewall characteristics and the like depending on the environmental conditions surrounding.

I have no idea if this is possible, or if it is whether it would be allowed or not (I suspect not since the tyres have to have a common performance throughout, I think), but I would still investigate it if I was them.

[Yoong Montoya]

I suspect this rule is just to give Michelin teams a better chance in wet conditions. But Michelin need far more wet weather experience.

[Sodemo]

Strange I can't remember Bridgestone's wet tyres being as bad in their first years of F1.

[Jay]

I wonder if this the first step towards all-weather tires in F1... just a thought...

[JonesF1]

http://www.michelinf1.com/content/xml/3types_en.xml Check out the difference in tread between the intermediate and wet tire. Is a "true" compromise possible at this point? Doubt it.
Who came up with this idea anyway?