Bridgestone will supply its six Formula One teams a new, wider front tyre, announced today the Japanese tyre manufacturer's Technical Director, Hirohide Hamashima, who said: "we expect to show a good performance, especially on the corners. As required by the regulations, it will be available in two compounds, one of which is completely new. Testing of the new tyre started at Magny-Cours in June, when we recorded some promising results, and to confirm its effectiveness we tested it again last week, both at Jerez and Silverstone."

Hungary was the first race last year, which saw a bridgestone runner leading a Grand Prix, in the form of then Arrows driver, Damon Hill. But Hill did not win last year, and Bridgestone is hoping this year to make amends. "This is a very smooth track offering comparatively little grip," says Hamashima. "Our experience suggests that the wear rate of the front tyres will be a preoccupation for the first two days, but that wear at the rear will have to be carefully monitored once the race has started."

In testing after Hockenheim, five out of the 6 Bridgestone teams divided their efforts between Silverstone and Jerez where the Bridgestone tyres set the fastes overall time: David Coulthard (McLaren) set 1:23.57 seconds in Jerez and Giancarlo Fisichella (Benetton) recorded a time of 1:25.91 seconds in Silverstone.

Bridgestone will bring 1830 tyres to Budapest for the Hungarian Grand Prix. This will be split approximately 50/50 between dry and wet tyres.