Have Bridgestone gone too soft?

[Glen]

Last year Michelin were very much in need of a win by this time in the season, and they had been accused of using tyres which were too conservative. As a result they brought ultra-sticky rubber to Monaco 2002 and we saw several cars with delaminating tyres. Now, in 2003, the Bridgestone tyres seem very quick over the one lap - but I was reading Button's decription of his qualifying lap and he mentions that he was, on the one hand, trying to cool the tyres in the first sector and, on the other hand, experiencing graining at the end of the lap. To me that sounds like a pretty fragile tyre.

I hope the Michelins can perform better in the race - the prospect of a pack of Williams, Renaults and McLarens breathing down the necks of Ferraris and BARs on deteriorating tyres is certainly one that I relish.