AUGUST 22, 2000

Bridgestone tire development to be used at Spa

BRIDGESTONE MOTORSPORT, this year's sole Formula One tire supplier, have increased their development as they prepare for competition from Michelin next year.

The Japanese company has developed two new wet weather tire specifications, which will come into use at this weekend's Belgian Grand Prix.

The tires, which are designed to cope with intermediate and heavy wet conditions, will have new tread designs to cope with the different levels of water.

Although the dry tires are now grooved, they do little to help in the rain. Wets have a v-shaped tread to move the water away from the path of the car, and are constructed from a compound that operates best at a lower track temperature. Intermediate tires are wets, but are constructed of a compound that will work in semi-dry conditions.

At the beginning of the season, Bridgestone said they would not develop any new tires this season. However, Michelin have begun development for this year, and the current F1 supplier is keen to use the remaining races of the season to gain as much data on their own advances as possible.