'05 is all down to tyre rules - JV?

[f1_carzy]

There is not much news about how the Bridgestone tyres fared at the Valencia test. (Not that there has been much info on the Barclona test)

However found JVs take on Sauber and tyres on PlanetF1:
http://www.planet-f1.com/news/story_18584.shtml

[Kirk]

JV is just stating the obvious and teams are not revealing anything as to their progress of testing '05 tire specs. The last half (especially) of Melbourne should reveal much in this regard and will prove very interesting indeed.

[f1_carzy]

Sauber were telling that they were sufferring from rear tyre degradation, and so were BAR, if I remember, but Bridgestone hav ebeen very quiet. With Jordan and Minardi to start testing actively, dont know whether they still have the advantage they had last year over Michelin???Would be interesting to hear about progress at the Bridgestone camp. The times at Valencia last week by Ferrari do not indicate anything towards tyres, or do they, as both the F2004 and F2004M cars clocked less than Raikkonen's best in the Mclaren's 05 car?

[Glen]

Originally Posted by f1_carzy

...but Bridgestone hav ebeen very quiet. With Jordan and Minardi to start testing actively, dont know whether they still have the advantage they had last year over Michelin???

I don't think they had an advantage over Michelin at all. Possibly at a few circuits, but generally speaking I think the French tyres were better - sauber and BAR obviously think so.

I did read something about Ferrari struggling with tyre wear though - I think Bridgestone had been insufficiently cautious... so the lap times that the F2004M got last week can be taken with a pinch of salt, because they can't be sustained for a race distance.

The only team which is doing nicely seems to be Renault.

[pole2pole]

Maybe we are looking at the wrong thing here as in single lap times. What we need is lap times after 60 or 70 laps. When you think about it this could really back fire on Ferrari if bridgestone dont get it right

[f1_carzy]

Ferrari have been unimpressive both over short and long runs(atleast compared to Kimi's times). And their press releases do not speak anything about tyres; so all might not be good with Bridgestone tyres. Again, Ferrari and Bridgestone were in a low key during pre-season testing last year. So, I guess, got to wait till first practice at Melbourne.

I agree with Glen; Renault are indeed impressive; they might take the fight right into Ferrari...or who knows if Bridgestone dont get the tyres right, then perhaps Mclaren

[BootsOntheSide]

Haven't Toyota also switched to Bridgestone (admittedly more for commercial than racing reasons, which says it all about the company's involvement)? Trulli has complained that their car is wearing out the rear tyres too quickly. We haven't heard from Red Bull on that subject either, and they inherit the team who had the worst tyre-wear problem of all in recent seasons. As P2P says, individual laptimes are likely to be less relevent than ever - headline-making low-fuel laps are worth nothing anymore.

[Marbot]

Originally Posted by BootsOntheSide

Haven't Toyota also switched to Bridgestone (admittedly more for commercial than racing reasons, which says it all about the company's involvement)?

NO. and now more than ever do lap times mean next to nothing.

[f1_carzy]

Toyota are still with Michelin, and so are Red Bull...Jordan Minardi and Ferrari are the only teams on the grid to be on Bridgestone...

[Sodemo]

I doubt Bridgestone will drop the ball, they've been at it for too long and will surely have their tyres up to spec by Melbourne (even if they aren't already).

Im sure at the 11th hour they will produce a tyre that blows everyone away like last year.

[Marbot]

The thing with the lap times is that we get to know who did the fastest lap but not on which lap it was done.It's no good breaking the lap record on lap 3 and then being 3 seconds off the pace 30 laps later.

[Snrub]

It's funny to think that last year Minardi was fighting with Bridgestone in an attempt to get their tires. I'm not exactly sure why either.

[Rich R]

it could be that bridgestone are struggling, equally, a few weeks before the season starts they could stick the proper race tyres on the ferrari and slaughter everyone again, you just can't tell really until melbourne.

[f1_carzy]

Bridgestone have told that they have got all the data they have wanted from testing at Valencia. Just got to wait, if they come up with a super-duper compound before Melbourne.

http://www.f1racing.net/en/news.php?newsID=76348

[Marbot]

Originally Posted by f1_carzy

Bridgestone have told that they have got all the data they have wanted from testing at Valencia. Just got to wait, if they come up with a super-duper compound before Melbourne.

http://www.f1racing.net/en/news.php?newsID=76348

Or not.

So far Ferrari have done all the running for Bridgestone(Minardi and Jordan have barely turned a wheel)so it would be no surprise if Bridgestone were a little behind in the tyre war.

Data is fairly easy to collect,transforming it into the finished product is the hard bit.

[Glen]

There is no way that they will take a tyre to Melbourne without testing it - so, even if this is part of their planned strategy, they will have other tyres as other tests in the coming weeks. They don't have much time though.

[RWC]

Like some have said-we'll know allmost nothing untill about three quarter distance at melbourne

[ASCII Man]

Yes, but even then things can be quite vague...

[Glen]

I know they have an annoying habit of proving hopeful-thinkers wrong, but I have a feeling that Ferrari will indeed struggle - certainly for the first four races. The major failing of the Bridgestone tyre recently has been getting enough heat into it to make it good for qualifying - the F2004 was developed throughout the 2004 season to tackle this problem, and now they are finding that they can't make the tyres last because the chassis works them too hard!

Contrast that with the feature on Fisi in Autosport, in which he says that he has already completed a full race distance on the tyres, and is feeling happy because both the car and his own driving style are suited to this regulation. The Renault last year was reportedly able to handle softer tyres than any other car - hopefully they have preseved or enhanced that trait.

As far as JV and Sauber are concerned, they have their work cut out tackling the car's major failing, which apparently is basically not nearly enough downforce - that ain't going to help the tyre wear, with the thing sliding around.

It is all about tyres - but specifically it is all about handling the tyres and having a car and driving style that is kind to tyres. And - what an exciting prospect that we may not have a clue how the race is going to pan-out until very near the end.

[pole2pole]

I agree Glen 100%. Who will adapt quicker to the new tyre rule Bridgestone or michelin. Who will be the best driver at looking there tyres in fact this is the very point that makes this coming season very exciting. To win the WDC you have to beat the best which means you have to beat Micheal and Ferrari. Looking at Ferrari and Bridgestone and the job they have done over the last number of years is just amazing but could this all be about to change with this new rule. Micheals style has always been flat out almost like a sprint from the race start to the first stop. Refuel and NEW tyres and sprint to the next stop in doing so he stays away from the rest of the pack letting them race each other while he runs away with it. We have all seen his lap times in the early stages of a race and they have been breath taking sometimes 2 sec quicker than the rest. Ferrari made it look so easy but I think this was mostly down to Bridgestone in that they provided Micheal with a tyre that could do 25 qualifying laps. This is where this season gets intersting. Will the driver that runs away at the start pay for it later in the race having cooked his tyres....will there be drivers play a waiting game...Who knows

[Snrub]

I think the veterens will have a distinct advantage when it comes to the new tire rule. I never say stuff like this, but I think MS will do quiet well conserving tires. Last year most of his races were run in a mild pace with a few quick laps when needed. A very disciplined approach (although I'm not sure that was the reason for 2004) like this may pay off.

Fisi as well. Last year he was very effective running with a heavy fuel load and just running his own little race until the end.

JPM may be well suited as well. I know that may seem like a surprising comment because being conservative is not in his nature. In Champ Car, drivers often have to adjust their driving for maximum fuel economy, so the goal is to be extra smooth to erk out more miles. At the same time a competitor may not be on that stratagy, but you still have to beat them. Surprisingly JPM was unusually good at it. That said, Roberto Moreno is the master.

[Sodemo]

Thats very true, Moreno could drive a race on fumes...

[mtrucco]

Micheals style has always been flat out almost like a sprint from the race start to the first stop. Refuel and NEW tyres and sprint to the next stop in doing so he stays away from the rest of the pack letting them race each other while he runs away with it. We have all seen his lap times in the early stages of a race and they have been breath taking sometimes 2 sec quicker than the rest.

MS has also raced endurance cars. Let's see if he still remembers those times

[Glen]

Schumacher's key attribute is adaptability - previously he has typically exploited this by doing very fast and short stints as a way of gaining an advantage, but that doesn't mean that he won't be able to adapt again and deploy a style which is good for conserving tyres. Even in recent times we have seen him out-do the opposition by both doing more stops (4) than the rest (in other words, driving in a sprint style and really pushing the tyres), or by doing fewer stops (1) than the rest and going for a tyre-saving, smooth style.

[Kirk]

A quote from JV, from an interesting interview in motorsport.com:

As for the racing, Villeneuve says, like many other drivers, that the new regulations will need quick thinking and even the smallest mistakes will be punished. "Up until this year, the cars were quite easy to drive and they tended to erase your mistakes. To go off, you really had to make a big mistake."

"With the new tyre regulation, the cars are more nervous under breaking and turn entry. Also, the drivers will have to manage their race differently, depending on the fuel loads, place in the field, etc... The mistakes will not be left without any consequences -- and I will not complain about that. Experienced drivers will have an advantage."