In order to outline Bridgestone's role in the supply of F1 tyres during the 1999 season, Hiroshi Yasukawa (Director of Bridgestone Motorsport) answers some recent questions about testing procedure and how the company wishes to ensure that all the competing teams are equipped with tyres on a fair basis.

Testing:

Q1. How many days will Bridgestone be testing in 1999?

A. In the calendar year 1999, Bridgestone will support 50 days of testing involving the running of cars under power. These 50 day will comprise:

(a) 25 "fixed" days of track testing, on the dates and at the venues organised by the FIA and FOA.

(b) 25 "free" days of track testing, at venues and on dates notified in accordance with certain rules.


Q2. What is the position of a team if for any reason it does not attend a "fixed" day of track testing?

A. If a team is for any reason unable to attend a "fixed" day of track testing, then it will lose that day's allocation of testing.


Q3. How will Bridgestone organise the "free" testing?

A. Bridgestone will endeavour to provide tyres and associated services for "free" days which have been agreed with the team in compliance with the following rules:

(a) Venues and dates for the "free" days must have been agreed between all the F1 teams and Bridgestone. For this purpose, teams should note that Bridgestone will generally seek to schedule tests over a three-day period, ideally Tuesday to Thursday.

(b) Teams intending to attend a particular test must indicate this to Bridgestone at least four calendar weeks before the start of the test in question. This indication may not subsequently be varied without Bridgestone's written notice. If a team is for any reason unable to attend testing on the date and venue duly notified to Bridgestone, it will still have the possibility to be serviced by Bridgestone at another "free" day's testing.

(c) If due to circumstances beyond Bridgestone's control, such as transport difficulties or adverse weather conditions, testing is not practicable, Bridgestone reserves the right, at its discretion, to reschedule a day's testing.


Q4. Will "shake downs" and straight-line testing count towards any of the test days?

A. No, they will not.


Q5. What restrictions will be applied to a team which may wish to test at two different venues on the same date?

A. If a team chooses to test at two venues on any one day, this will count as two test days.


Tyre allocation for testing:

Q6. How many sets of tyres will be allocated to the teams for testing purposes?

A. As we have already announced, Bridgestone is prepared to allocate no more than 200 sets of tyres to each team to cover the 50 days of car testing.


Q7. How many sets of tyres does Bridgestone anticipate being able to provide to the teams on each test day?

A. Bearing in mind the physical limitation on the number of tyres which can be transported to the test venues, Bridgestone will endeavour to provide a maximum of 6 sets to each team for each day of track testing. Both dry and wet tyres will count towards the limits already specified.


Q8. Will the tyres supplied and used for shake down testing count towards the maximum figure of 200 sets?

A. Yes, they will form part of the total allocation.


Bridgestone tyre development programme:

Q9. What are the principles to be adopted by Bridgestone as far as development is concerned?

A. We propose to carry out additional tests in pursuit of our own future tyre development programme. This will require the help and collaboration of selected teams. Where this is convenient, we intend to call upon the two leading teams in the previous season's FIA Formula One World Championship.

The tyres to be tested in furtherance of this programme will represent Bridgestone's own future requirements. We intend to agree mutually convenient test dates and venues with the two teams involved.


Q10. Will such testing count towards the maximum test days and the number of tyres allocated to the teams?

A. Tests carried out under the Bridgestone tyre development programme will not count either towards the 200 sets of tyres or the 50 agreed days of testing.