This week's Grapevine brings you information fresh from the paddock on: Bridgestone Gearing Up Silly Season Coming to a Close

Bridgestone Gearing Up

The season has barely come to a close, and Bridgestone are getting geared up for the new one. Off season testing is a big deal, and the manufacturers have committed to providing control tyres to all their teams, as required, for the duration. The specification for these was proposed at the US Grand Prix, and agreed with each team in Japan.

The test tyre is nothing special - it exhibits as close to "average" characteristics as possible, so that the teams can evaluate the mechanical characteristics of their chassis, and relate the performance to last year's cars with some degree of confidence.

Plans for next year were well advanced, and Bridgestone's test programme for the winter has been long planned. The FIA ruling that individual tyres can be developed for teams has meant that those plans have had to be changed, but the difference is not so great: in fact, the original programme stands until January.

Under the original plan, Ferrari were expected to bear the biggest part of the burden for testing and evolving the tyres: they have a car and driver dedicated to the task, and anticipated putting in at least three days per week through the off season there alone. BAR were looking to test two new tyres at each test they attended before February - roughly adding up to a half day per week- on the basis they need to understand the tyres, but get limited input on what happened next. With the new ruling, the interest levels have risen considerably, and they are requiring a more significant part to play.

Whereas Bridgestone were expecting to have more new compounds to test than cars to test them on, track time is now outstripping requirements: the company is expanding the programme to take advantage of it. The challenge for the company now, is keeping the teams they support working in the same basic direction, before they find their research split into too many streams.

As it stands, the programme will see all teams continue to have as many control tyres as they want; Ferrari are still the focus for 2003, and the program there will see no changes. BAR are planning to work with Bridgestone on aggressive tyre development. Jordan and Sauber, on the other hand, are both expected to test the 'best of breed' tyres that BAR and Ferrari develop periodically until February, when they step up their tyre programmes to develop bespoke tyres, if they believe there are significant gains to be made. Minardi's plans are unformed, but expected to mirror Jordan and Sauber's approach, in order to minimise the impact on their budget.

It has to be said, particularly for teams on a tight budget, it makes serious economic sense to let other teams do the bulk of the donkey work!

Silly Season Coming to a Close

Over the last week, three more drivers were confirmed in their places, leaving only Minardi's racing seats to be filled for next season, unless Arrows get themselves sorted out.

Cristiano da Matta's confirmation at Toyota has been widely anticipated, after the driver tested well in May. Since the test, his star has continued to rise, and he wrapped up the CART championship well before the season's close. Toyota made an offer early, but da Matta played them out for the season, riding the wave of his success to increase his demands accordingly. It makes sense, after all: Toyota are not likely to challenge the establishment for titles in the short term, so the better da Matta was rated in CART, the more he was giving up for the Formula One drive.

Ironically, whilst da Matta considered his value to Toyota, and waited to the end of the CART season to confirm the contract he was worth, the common perception for the delay has fallen on squarely on Newman/Haas Racing's shoulders for their reluctance to release him.

Eddie Irvine and Pedro de la Rosa's joint departure from Jaguar has been met with some surprise in the paddock. The current Formula One emphasis is on continuity, so dropping both drivers flies in the face of conventional wisdom. Replacing two experienced heads with the relatively inexperienced duo of Mark Webber and Antonio Pizzonia was even more of a surprise: testing experiences notwithstanding, the duo only have Webber's season of racing with Minardi to share between them when it comes to playing the game in Formula One. Making the decision more questionable still, next season's rule changes will see qualifying based, effectively, on a single, flying lap. Being quick, immediately, without losing control, is key.

On the other hand, there are a few who see Jaguar's move as particularly astute. The public reasons for dropping both drivers were sound: de la Rosa has not exactly shone all year, whilst Irvine has rubbed too many people up the wrong way. Behind the scenes, there were questions over where the team were going: neither driver had much time left in them, and whilst Irvine has produced some solid results, considering the car being raced, neither has set the world alight on track. And when it comes to justifying the program to Ford, having something to point at is important.

Pizzonia is fast, and he races, which should be good for the Jaguar 'racing' image. If he keeps it on the track. He has been testing for Williams, so he knows what a good car feels like, which is good for developing the chassis next season. Webber, despite having little competition from his teammates at Minardi, has been impressive all season. He has demonstrated speed and reliability. His feedback is widely acknowledged as 'superb'. And both drivers are at the start of their Formula One careers. Decisively, the expectations for next year's car do not see it as a world beater. Having a car that is not going to trouble the front runners, the team did not want to see the same line-up, and the same results, so the door was opened to try something new.

Irvine is holding out hopes that he will be offered a place at Jordan. Benson and Hedges funding level for next year is dependant on who will be racing, and Eddie Jordan is attempting to close the deal, despite Takuma Sato's strong Japanese Grand Prix. The Japanese driver's manager is looking at other options for next season in preparation for his departure. That said, raising the funds Jordan is looking for from B&H are not certain to be available, which would leave the door open to Sato, if he brings sufficient backing from his sponsors.

Paul Stoddart has opened the Minardi seats up to any driver with speed, and five million dollars in cash. Justin Wilson is looking forward to testing the new car when it is built: the team have promised to make the car big enough for him to test, and if he can find the funds, he has been promised the test will convert to a full time drive. Any number of current F3000 drivers are in line to fill the other seat, including BAR test driver Anthony Davidson, who raced in Alex Yoong's absence earlier this season. Of the established drivers, only Enrique Bernoldi is believed to bring sufficient funds, but his interest seems to be on going to the States, if he can land a drive there.

There's been talk amongst Arrows employees that someone might recover their situation. Speculation continues - sporadically - that the outfit could be taken over as a going concern, even though the outstanding law suits need to be settled, and the Concorde Agreement breaches need to be formally disregarded. And then they'd need an engine. And a car, of course. If they do arrive back on the scene, then they will need two drivers: strangely enough, there are no drivers holding out for an Arrows ride next season.