Bahraini GP - Bridgestone preview - 11th April 17:34pm GMT

After a thrilling second round of the FIA Formula One World Championship in Malaysia last weekend, Bridgestone Motorsport moves on to round three, the Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix. It will be the fourth running of the event at the 5.412 km Bahrain International Circuit which features a diverse mix of corners allied to fast straights.

Like the Malaysian Grand Prix, the expected heat will be a factor for all competitors on the Bridgestone Potenza tyres with the hard and medium compounds being used once more for this race. The medium tyre will be distinguished by a white marking along the bottom of the second from inside groove.

Q&A Kees van de Grint, Bridgestone Motorsport Head of Track Engineering Operations:

What are the crucial elements to get good use from tyres in Bahrain?
“Good traction is essential at the Bahrain International Circuit. At six corners in particular it is very important to gain speed for the long straights which follow. After these straights there is of course heavy braking but maximising the traction out of the corners is crucial. If the traction is less than optimum it creates heat and high wear to the tyres.”

Bahrain, like Malaysia, is a circuit where the teams have tested extensively. Will this be a factor?
“Testing at a venue where we are going to race allows us, as sole tyre supplier, to confirm that we have made the correct predictions from our theoretical data about which tyre compounds to use. For teams it allows them to engineer their car to be as fast as it can be at the circuit and this is particularly the case with Bahrain where most of the teams have tested for six days already this year.”

Are you happy with how the tyre marking fared in race conditions?
“I am very happy with how the markings performed in race conditions. They could be seen well by spectators and the media and on television they showed particularly well on the onboard cameras.”