Bridgestone Debuts 2-Step Tire Gap in Germany

A few days before the official start of the German Grand Prix, Bridgestone gave us a hint of what should be expected of this next weekend at the Hockenheim Ring. Formula One will travel to the German track for the first time in 13 years with slick tires, which should make the F1 action more entertaining for the drivers and fans alike.

According to Bridgestone's Director of Motorsport Tire Development, Hirohide Hamashima, the weather will play an important role in how this weekend will go down for the F1 front-runners. The Japanese manufacturer will debut a 2-step gap in tire allocation for the Hockenheim circuit, with super-soft and hard compounds being available to the teams this weekend.

“This will be the first time that we have raced at Hockenheim with slicks since 1997, and the circuit configuration then was very different. The circuit layout features a long left hander before the hairpin where it is important to have good stability. After the hairpin, there are strong traction demands on the rear tires. Elsewhere, a good overall balance is required,” said Hamashima.

“We have a unique opportunity with the nature of the Hockenheim circuit allowing us to bring the softest and the hardest tires from our range. This should provide a challenge for everyone and should be interesting. The weather will play a factor too. If it is hot then the super soft will be a challenge to manage for stability and durability. If it is cold then ensuring the hard is in its temperature operating window will be a tough task.”

So far, the weather forecast for this weekend's race have not suggested anything out of the ordinary, but as we all know, the German weather has a habit of changing dramatically in only a few hours, so nothing should be taken for granted on Sunday.