Bridgestone wants varied strategies

Bridgestone

is aiming to promote a wider variety of MotoGP race strategies in 2014

by developing more closely-matched rear tyre compounds.


 


There were just two occasions from 18 races this season

when the championship's main protagonists were not all on the same

options.



Seven-time champion Valentino Rossi also said recently that the

current generation of tyres - and the clear distinction between

compounds - had been a factor in his loss of performance.



Bridgestone intends to change such a dynamic by ensuring one tyre choice is not clearly better than the other next season.



"Over the winter we will develop tyres for next year's pre-season

tests that will improve upon the key performance characteristics we want

to offer riders; warm-up performance and greater usability,"

Bridgestone Motorsport Manager Hiroshi Yamada said.



"We're also continuing down the development path for our rear tyres

so that we can offer two viable rear tyre options at every circuit to

promote greater variability in tyre choice on race day."



Yamada said Bridgestone also hoped the softer rear tyre it will

produce for open class bikes will allow them to pose a threat to their

factory counterparts.



"It is evident from testing that the performance of the new open class machines is quite high," he said.



"It will be a challenge for us to supply a softer rear slick option

for these machines, but I hope to see some exciting battles between the

factory and open class machines next year."


http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/news/motorcycling-bridgestone-wants-varied-strategies-114333380--spt.html

Wait, wait, wait...did I read that right? Rossi is saying he's not as fast as he used to be because the tires don't suit him? 

But will they test at PI in the heat?

I doubt Bridgestone really give a ...... It's not like they have any competition. This smells of Dorna manipulation to me. Getting Bridgestone to build different tyres to make our multi tier series look closer than it really is.

chopperman

3703731386455162

I doubt Bridgestone really give a ...... It's not like they have any competition. This smells of Dorna manipulation to me. Getting Bridgestone to build different tyres to make our multi tier series look closer than it really is.

Click to expand...

If this is an intitiative from Bridgestone it might be a good thing. I think they were told by Dorna last time to produce a tyre that would wear out like the F1 tyres  at the end of races to "improve" the racing, with PI the result.


 


The MSMA deserve  much blame for numerous things, but I agree the tyre issues in recent years are largely down to  Dorna, and their failure to understand that motogp bikes are not F1 cars with 2 wheels missing.

michaelm

3703761386459096

If this is an intitiative from Bridgestone it might be a good thing. I think they were told by Dorna last time to produce a tyre that would wear out like the F1 tyres  at the end of races to "improve" the racing, with PI the result.


 


The MSMA deserve  much blame for numerous things, but I agree the tyre issues in recent years are largely down to  Dorna, and their failure to understand that motogp bikes are not F1 cars with 2 wheels missing.

Click to expand...

 


Agreed. Bridgetsone is basically pushing to make the tire options more similar so teams have real tire-strategy decisions on race day. It may influence bike design as well. Ultimately, Bridgetsone are probably aiming to improve brand awareness by making the MotoGP spectacle more attractive. Since Bridgestone benefits from better racing, Dorna conspiracy is probably not in play.


 


Fans should be happy. No one loses if Bridgestone decide to invest more in the sport.

mylexicon

3703781386465611

Agreed. Bridgetsone is basically pushing to make the tire options more similar so teams have real tire-strategy decisions on race day. It may influence bike design as well. Ultimately, Bridgetsone are probably aiming to improve brand awareness by making the MotoGP spectacle more attractive. Since Bridgestone benefits from better racing, Dorna conspiracy is probably not in play.


 


Fans should be happy. No one loses if Bridgestone decide to invest more in the sport.

Click to expand...

So you don't think this is just dorna helping to speed up the open class while dumbing down the factory class in an attempt to make the racing closer. More of a TV spectacle and encouraging to new teams wanting to enter motogp on the cheap (open class) while appearing competitive ?

chopperman

3703791386466864

So you don't think this is just dorna helping to speed up the open class while dumbing down the factory class in an attempt to make the racing closer. More of a TV spectacle and encouraging to new teams wanting to enter motogp on the cheap (open class) while appearing competitive ?

Click to expand...

 


Whether that's the case or not (and it may be, who knows), the performance gap between the factories and the open class bikes should be so big that the different tires won't make the racing look any closer, unless Bridgestone slather the tires in butter before giving them to the factory teams. We can't forget that the factories not only have the best bikes but the best riders, and a soft rear tire and a few extra liters of fuel is nowhere near enough for the open class machines to close the gap. 

chopperman

3703791386466864

So you don't think this is just dorna helping to speed up the open class while dumbing down the factory class in an attempt to make the racing closer. More of a TV spectacle and encouraging to new teams wanting to enter motogp on the cheap (open class) while appearing competitive ?

Click to expand...

The CRT's already had a softer spec last year, this just sounds like more of the same. An open class duc might be interesting wearing these hoops. No complaints. Choices are good. Tire strategies would be interesting rather than seeing all the factories I the same tires every race.

chopperman

3703791386466864

So you don't think this is just dorna helping to speed up the open class while dumbing down the factory class in an attempt to make the racing closer. More of a TV spectacle and encouraging to new teams wanting to enter motogp on the cheap (open class) while appearing competitive ?

Click to expand...

 


The fuel limits restrict power available over race distance. If you want 24L of fuel, you must use the spec software. What does that tell you? The open class will be controlled with the spec software and spec ECU.


 


Creating a new set of tire compounds for everyone is not a backdoor handout for the open class teams. 

mylexicon

3703781386465611

Agreed. Bridgetsone is basically pushing to make the tire options more similar so teams have real tire-strategy decisions on race day. It may influence bike design as well. Ultimately, Bridgetsone are probably aiming to improve brand awareness by making the MotoGP spectacle more attractive. Since Bridgestone benefits from better racing, Dorna conspiracy is probably not in play.


 


Fans should be happy. No one loses if Bridgestone decide to invest more in the sport.

Click to expand...

Perhaps Bridgestone don't want a recurrence of PI 2013, which wouldn't have been the best advertisement for their product. I don't think Dorna would want a repeat of PI either, in which case leaving the tyre design to Bridgestone might be a good idea.

michaelm

3703871386482645

Perhaps Bridgestone don't want a recurrence of PI 2013, which wouldn't have been the best advertisement for their product. I don't think Dorna would want a repeat of PI either, in which case leaving the tyre design to Bridgestone might be a good idea.

Click to expand...

 


PI problems was lack of testing, IIRC. I suppose more compounds could help mitigate disaster, if the GPC is asleep at the switch, but I really think the tire changes by Bridgestone are almost entirely for entertainment and strategy.

Seriously........ who the hell buys Bridgestone tires because they saw it on MotoGP?


 


Give me some of them "General Tires", 4 for $150 for my car!  Does that include balance and rotation too, Butch?