“Bridgestone is pleased that we have been appointed the sole tire supplier to the MotoGP World Championship for the next three seasons, starting from 2009. Although we were sorry to hear that tyre competition would not continue in MotoGP, Bridgestone appreciates the importance of safety and cost in motorsport”.
“Our technical department has already started looking at how best to approach the 2009 season with the desired push for improved safety in MotoGP at the forefront of our development plans. We have a busy winter period ahead of us in order to best prepare ourselves for the first race of the 2009 season, but on-track preparations will begin as soon as the chequered flag has fallen on this 2008 season with a post-race test in Valencia, the first opportunity we will have to work with new teams and riders,” said Hiroshi Yasukawa, director of Bridgestone Motorsport, when hearing the news.
The announcement didn't surprise anyone in the MotoGP paddock, as French manufacturers Michelin already announced that they would back out of the race. The Europeans argued that there would be no point in staying in the MotoGP as the only way to progress would be to compete against other brands.
The move will supposedly equalize performance within the MotoGP in the years to come, as most teams were far from satisfied with Michelin's performances in the last few years. Valentino Rossi himself blamed most of his 2007 problems on poor performances from his tires and immediately ordered his team to switch to Bridgestone for 2008.
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