After 14 continuous seasons at the pinnacle of international motor sport, Bridgestone made its final Formula 1 appearance at the 2010 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
After this race, Bridgestone contested a total of 242 Grands Prix since making its full-time F1 entry at the Australian Grand Prix in 1997.
There was 175 wins, 168 pole positions and 11 drivers’ and constructors’ championships attained with Bridgestone Potenza tyres.
“Abu Dhabi was an emotional weekend for everyone at Bridgestone Motorsport as it was our final race,” said Hiroshi Yasukawa, director of Bridgestone Motorsport.
“I have been involved in Bridgestone’s motor sport operations since our very first limited entry in the 1976 and 1977 Japanese Grands Prix and pushed hard for our full-time entry which finally came in 1997.
“In this time, Bridgestone has grown enormously as a company, with Formula 1 showcasing our company’s strength and qualities on a world stage, to an enormous audience.
“I have attended well over 200 races myself and have made so many good relationships with the participants in this wonderful sport.
“Next year will be very different for me and for all of my Bridgestone Motorsport colleagues.”
Bridgestone’s primary reason for its F1 entry was to enhance its brand awareness, and for this to be effective, their Formula 1 tyres had to demonstrate strong performance.
In charge of the technical development over Bridgestone’s 14 years in F1 is Hirohide Hamashima, director of Bridgestone Motorsport tyre development.
“Formula 1 was a big challenge for our company,” said Hamashima.
“We entered the sport in 1997 against a very experienced competitor in Goodyear, who had contested so many races before, yet we were able to be competitive in our first season, even when most of the front-running teams were using our rival’s products.
“We scored points in our first race and the first Bridgestone podium came in our second race. We even came very close to a win with Damon Hill in the Arrows Yamaha at Hungary, so this was a very good debut for us.”
Then, in 1998, Goodyear withdrew from Formula 1, leaving Bridgestone as the sole supplier.
“Our entry to Formula 1 came a year earlier than initially planned and after just two seasons in the sport we had to supply the entire field,” explained Peter Grzelinski, Bridgestone Motorsport service manager.
“This was a big challenge for us, but we responded well.
“We had two seasons where we could refine all our practices and methodology before the next challenge came.”
In 2001 Michelin entered Formula 1 as a rival tyre supplier to Bridgestone, and a period of intense competition followed.
“From 2001 to 2006 we battled hard with Michelin,” said Hamashima.
“Our engineers in Japan and at the track were dedicated to winning and we learnt so many things in this period.”
Bridgestone tyres shod the constructors’ and drivers’ champions four times in this period, while Michelin tyres equipped the winning constructors’ and drivers’ champions twice.
After Michelin’s departure at the end of the 2006 season, Bridgestone was the sole tyre supplier in 2007, before being appointed as the official tyre supplier to the FIA Formula One world championship for 2008 to 2010.
“Our second period of being the only tyre supplier in Formula 1 was characterised by intensely close title battles,” said Hamashima.
“We concentrated on our quality control to ensure that the tyres supplied to all teams were the same,allowing these close championship battles, which provided a fantastic spectacle for Formula 1 untill te very last race.”
Legacy
So, while 2010 was the final season for Bridgestone in Formula 1, the legacy left for the company will be enormous.
“Bridgestone has gained significantly from our involvement in this fabulous sport,” said Yasukawa.
“We have also tried to benefit society as a whole by working with the sport’s governing body, the FIA, with its road safety and environmental campaigns over the years.
“We can only hope that everybody enjoyed our final Grand Prix season and race as much as we did.”
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