25/05/2010
NEWS STORY
The Bridgestone-backed GP2 Series will be racing at the Turkish Grand Prix this weekend, with medium compound dry tyres in use for the third round of the championship.
In 2010, Bridgestone's medium compound GP2 racing slick has been allocated for five events and will be appearing at Istanbul, Silverstone, Hockenheim, Spa-Francorchamps and the Yas Marina circuit in Abu Dhabi which will host the final GP2 race of the year.
Istanbul is one of the most difficult circuits on the GP2 calendar, being tough on the tyres. It is a high speed track with long straights and a punishing turn eight which requires high downforce from the cars. As the only anti-clockwise circuit in GP2 this also means the tyres on the right hand side of the car will be under the greatest loads.
The track is wide at this venue, offering plenty of overtaking opportunities for the young talented drivers in the GP2 Series and providing highly entertaining racing. Vitaly Petrov and Lucas di Grassi, both now in Formula One, won GP2 races in Istanbul last season using the Bridgestone medium specification tyre.
Hirohide Hamashima - Director of Bridgestone Motorsport Tyre Development: "At Istanbul turn eight is the deciding factor in terms of our medium dry tyre selection, as it is a high speed and high-load corner. The nature of the circuit is mainly traction bias with the exception of turn eight which is not only fast but also a triple apex long left hand corner requiring high downforce. Due to the heavy braking at this circuit, high temperatures and thermal tyre degradation make Istanbul a challenging venue for the tyres. It is crucial for drivers to look after their front rights, and to manage their tyre wear throughout the weekend."