Tyre colouring in 2007

[BreezyRacer]

Yes, that pic si what I saw though I cannot remember where. So glad that didn't happen!

[allan]

did any body see the difference between the two spec tires during last night's practice?
I just couldn't see that holly dot!

[BreezyRacer]

Yes, very dissapointing that you cannot see them. Wasn't the original idea that fans could see what they were running? They have got to change this, or forget about it ..

[monkeyboy1976]

When the tyre is spinning, the dot should turn into a line. Maybe not as clear as a solid painted line but still visible.

[Carbon]

A marker the size of a small coin? I was hoping something a litttle more sizable. It would be interesting to see what compound the teams are running, but from a TV viewers perspective, the coin-sized indicator is hardly visible, even when spinning.

I hope BS changes the size in coming races.

[Steven]

Here's the pic:



It's not bad, but I think it might wear off a bit being so close to the tyre thread. Not sure either if that really will be a thick white line, it's just a simple dot, it may be something like grey, possibly even hard to see

[allan]

why don't they use something like yellow font to write "Bridgestone" in the softer compound.. it wouldn't affect the cars' liveries, would it? remember Pirelli back in the nineties...

[Ray]

OR, they could just write 'soft' on the sidewall. In the same color of the rest of the font, it wouldn't deter from the cars' livery, plus it would accomplish what everyone wants to know, what compound are they on. My biggest pet peeve about all this is, who cares if the teams don't want markings that give away thier strategy, it's not about them. It's about us, the fans. They do obviously want to win and keep thier advantages at much as possible, but if everyone is required to use at least one set, the strategy thing is moot.

[DaveKillens]

I guess the peeps in F1 don't want to copt the Champ Car method, where the entire sidewall is a distinct color, and the fans can immediately know if it's black, or blue, or red. The present system of a little dot just plain sucks, there's no way any fan can pick that out while the race is going on.
So what's the solution? How about different colored lights on top of the airbox?
Personally, I wish the people in F1 would put aside their egos and swallow the bitter pill of copying Champ Car. Then, the fans would truly benefit.

[Carbon]

I like the idea of different colored BS logo, easy. The white dots will quickly disappear in carbon brake dust after a few laps.

[mini696]

I'm not happy with the markings. The dot is already half worn off (or not painted properly) before it even on the car.

Bridgestone have not followed the new rule either. It should be "visibly distinguishable from one another when a car is on the track."

I cant see it when the car is on the track.

Keep trying Bridgestone.

[pRo]

I'm sure they can do better than this, it was hard to see the spots even during pitstops, if something happened to cover that place.

[bhall]

The whole two-compound rule is pretty dumb so far. For me, it didn't add the least bit of extra intrigue to the race, especially since teams can now start with a different compound from the one they used in qualifying. This is merely a ridiculous exercise in PR for Bridgestone.

However, since the rule is in effect and we're supposed to be able to see what compound each car is on, and in light of the fact that the dot is totally useless, I have an idea. Why not just have marks running the length of the grooves in the tires? It's not a Champ Car copy, and I don't think it would detract from the cars' liveries.

[pRo]

The whole two-compound rule is pretty dumb so far.

Have to agree with you there.

teams can now start with a different compound from the one they used in qualifying.

They can? I didn't know that.

I think the difference between the two tyres was way too small, you couldn't even guess from the laptimes who is running what. The soft ones should be a lot softer, which should clearly show in the laptimes. They should be faster, but obviously not last as long as the harder ones. Now that might create something interesting.

What's the point of having two similar rubbers anyway? No one would've noticed it, if we didn't know everyone has to use them.


Bridgestone published the list, so here it is for anyone wondering:
S=softer, H=harder

Räikkönen, HHS
Alonso, HHS
Hamilton, HHS
Heidfeld, SHH
Fisichella, HHS
Massa, SH
Rosberg, HHS
Schumacher, HHS
Trulli, HHS
Kovalainen, HHS
Barrichello, SHH
Sato, HHS
Webber, HHS
Liuzzi, HHS
Button, HSH
Davidson, HHS
Sutil, HHS
Wurz, HS (DNF)
Coulthard, HHS (DNF)
Kubica, HH (DNF)
Speed, HH (DNF)
Albers, H (DNF)

[bhall]

March 19,

However, since the rule is in effect and we're supposed to be able to see what compound each car is on, and in light of the fact that the dot is totally useless, I have an idea. Why not just have marks running the length of the grooves in the tires? It's not a Champ Car copy, and I don't think it would detract from the cars' liveries.

March 27,

Formula One tyre suppliers Bridgestone have used the opening day of the Sepang test in Malaysia to evaluate alternative ways of visually differentiating tyre compounds. Williams’ Alex Wurz ran with tyres featuring a large red dot on the sidewall and a continuous white line painted within one of the grooves.

2007 regulations require Bridgestone to supply teams with two compounds at each Grand Prix and every driver must use both compounds during the race. At the opening round in Australia, a small white dot on the sidewall was used to differentiate the compounds.

However, many felt this was too difficult to spot, with fans only able to see which compound was being used when cars were at a standstill in the pits.

It's good to see that the folks at Bridgestone are reading.