By Alex Kapadia

Ferrari driver Fernando Alonso won the opening round of the 2010 Formula One World Championship using a super soft-medium tyres strategy in Bahrain.

He was followed home in second place by team-mate Felipe Massa, with McLaren driver Lewis Hamilton crossing the line to take third place - both using the same tyres set-up.

Hiroshi Yasukawa, director of motorsport for Bridgeston, said: “What a great way to start Bridgestone’s fourteenth season of Formula One racing, with great battles right to the chequered flag at the new layout of Sakhir circuit in Bahrain.

“Congratulations to Fernando Alonso for his win and Ferrari for their 1-2 today. Well done also to Lotus for running so well in their first race. The new regulations have given all teams a good challenge and provided all of the viewers around the world a very exciting first race of the season.”

Hirohide Hamashima, director of motorsport tyre development for Bridgestone, added: “Today we were very happy with tyre performance. This was the first race under these new regulations so no-one knew exactly what to expect.

“Sebastian Vettel did a great job to manage his super softs at the beginning of the race, making the same set he used for qualifying last the longest of all the front runners.

“Fernando Alonso drove a very intelligent race for his win, and he was able to set the fastest lap near the end, showing he had managed his tyres very well. It was great to see Felipe Massa back on the podium.

“Tyre management, as expected, was very important in this first race with no refuelling. The cars and drivers which were more forgiving to their tyres were rewarded with more durable performance.

“This was only the first of 19 races this season. I think we all have a lot to learn about this season’s best tyre strategies and it will be fascinating unlocking the secrets for the best performance in the races ahead.”

By Alex Kapadai

Reigning Formula One world champion Jenson Button admitted he was too conservative with his tyres after finishing in seventh place in Bahrain today.

“Initially I was very cautious with the tyres,” the McLaren driver conceded after the first Grand Prix of the 2010 season, “but they seemed to be holding [up] pretty well which is surprising actually as they worked better than I thought.

“We’re pretty good at looking after our tyres with our car, but there’s always room for improvement and we all want more speed and more downforce.

“Set-up wise the car was okay, there are a few things I need to look at to make I more my style.”

The world champion finished four places and 22 seconds behind new team-mate Lewis Hamilton after a largely low-key debut weekend as a McLaren driver, the Briton spending the 49-lap race running in close company with Mercedes’ Michael Schumacher and Red Bull driver Mark Webber.

With drivers and teams heading into the race unsure as to how hard to push their tyres on fuel tanks of fuel, Button conceded he probably didn’t take enough out of them when he was chasing Webber in the opening laps – although swift pit work from his McLaren crew ensured he got ahead of the Australian when they pitted together on lap 16.

“The first stint I didn’t know what was going to happen with the tyres so I was taking it easy,” he told reporters.

“I was a bit sad that we pitted when we did because I felt that I had looked after the tyres a little bit too much as the last five laps of the stint I was able to push and catch Webber and Michael.

“Then Michael obviously pitted the lap before me which helped him quite a bit and he was able to pull away, but I jumped Webber at the stop which was great.

“It was really good pit stops by the guys – both Lewis and myself jumped someone which was really good.”

Thereafter he ran within several seconds of Schumacher but couldn’t stay with the German’s W01 during the twisty middle sector of the lap.

“Then it was initially pacing myself with the tyres and then I started pushing sort of with 20 laps to go and I caught up with Michael, but I couldn’t do anything behind him,” Button said.

“I didn’t have enough pace in the middle section to stay with him to have a go at him in the last section.

“So that was a bit disappointing, but it was fun all the same.”

By Alex Kapadia

Bridgestone tyres are looking forward to an exciting season to the 2010 FIA Formula One World Championship tomorrow.

Hirohide Hamashima, director of motorsport tyres development for the company, said after the final qualifying session: “Today was very exciting as it was the first qualifying session with the latest rules and the first time we have been able to see all the cars against each other on low fuel loads at the same time.

“The super soft compound was the preferred compound today and it delivered a faster lap than the medium compound. Congratulations to Sebastian Vettel and Red Bull for the first pole of the year.

“Well done also to Karun Chandhok at the other end of the grid for the HRT F1 Team, as his first run in the car was in the qualifying session and he showed very good focus for the task.”

Asked about the tyre strategies for tomorrow’s race, he added: “If the track continues to improve we are confident that the super soft should prove to be a good race tyre as well as a good qualifying tyre.

“Last year the circuit improved a lot in the race, but the strategists need to be wary of conditions in case there are any sand storms tonight.

“The medium compound gives good stable performance, but is not as fast over a single lap as the super soft. The difference between compounds for a race stint is not very clear cut so far, meaning we should see a variety of approaches.

“Strategy options are more limited for the top ten drivers as the rules dictate that they must start the race on the very same set of tyres which they set their fastest lap time.

“This means that all except Adrian Sutil will start on the super soft. For all drivers there is not the constraint of having to stop to refuel, so the pit stops can occur at any time in the race, so this aspect will be very interesting.

“Tomorrow will be the first time that these cars start a race with their heavy fuel loads. Even if the circuit conditions are good tomorrow, drivers will have to be very vigilant, especially on the first laps, when the cars are heaviest and the tyres at their coolest.”

By Denna Bowman

Michelin are set to roll out an “unconventional” advertising campaign across the UK to promote the advantages of using their tyres.

The tyres manufacturer is promoting the message ‘the right tyre changes everything’ with the launch of billboards, an online interactive game featuring the Michelin Man and a viral movie.

A fully animated presentation has been developed, featuring the Michelin Man who comes to the aid of motorists in trouble, replacing their inefficient tyres with Michelin tyres pulled from his body.

The campaign, which kicks off next week, also features a new dark, viral movie depicting motorists being attacked by out of control petrol pumps and an interactive on-line game in which the Michelin man battles with the Evil Fuel Pump.

Hoardings and billboards will spread the message in major cities throughout the UK, including London, Birmingham, Leeds, Manchester, Sheffield, Newcastle, Glasgow and Edinburgh.

And a microsite with an on-line fuel calculator and fuel saving tips will also be launched during the UK roll out.

Peter Snelling, Michelin UK’s head of communications, said: “We are looking forward to the UK launch of the new campaign which marks quite a change in direction in terms of previous campaigns.

“Michelin has decided to launch an unconventional global campaign to explain to consumers the benefits of using its tyres.

“Michelin tyres simultaneously deliver enhanced braking performance, greater longevity and superior fuel efficiency.

“The campaign shows that by using the right tyre, consumers can reduce fuel consumption, increase driving safety and extend tread life, something no other brand of tyre can achieve.”

By Oliver Hall

Police are hunting for evidence to help convict a vandal suspected of slashing a hundred car tyres during a one-night crime spree in Andover.

Initial reports revealed that 48 vehicles were attacked last month, however police have confirmed that more than 100 tyres were ruined after a total of 62 cars were targeted.

Sgt Dave Phillips said: “We have got a suspect in mind – what we need is evidence.”

Meanwhile, one local resident, who had to fork out for new tyres after the mindless thug struck, is calling on the local council to install CCTV in the area to cut down on the crime sprees.

Vic Pain said: “I’d just spent £270 on two new car tyres and then I discovered they’d been slashed. It’s affecting us financially and we’ve had enough.”

He said he has spent a total of £3000 of his own money repairing his vandalised property during the past three years, after yobs smashed his car windows, threw vodka bottles at his house and caused other damage.

Mr Pain’s car came under attack again at the end of last month when a gang of youths slashed tyres on dozens of vehicles in Trajan Walk and Roman Way.

He said: “This has gone on long enough. CCTV will identify those doing the vandalism.”

By Alex Kapadia

Hankook tyres bucked the industry trend during 2009 and saw sales soar to record heights, according to company executives.

While most of the world’s largest tyres manufacturers have reported lower sales during last year, the Korean company boomed.

Focusing on North America, the company reported that in spite of the economic recession and dramatic decline in new car sales, its tyre sales grew 8.3 percent to $844.3 million.

Soo Il Lee, one of the company’s top executives, said their US-based subsidiary anticipates the trend will continue, with sales expected to exceed $900 million in 2010 and reach $1 billion in 2011, Mr. Lee said.

Broken down, Hankook’s North American passenger tyre sales rose 5.3 percent last year to $575.2 million, while light truck tyre sales grew 26.2 percent to $159 million. Truck tyre sales improved 2.2 percent to $110.1 million.

Mr. Lee attributed the company’s success to the partnerships it has forged with its dealer network and stressed that even in the slow economy Hankook’s mission and focus remains the same: to “deliver market-driven, high-quality products that provide exceptional value for the consumer and a profitable, competitive edge to our dealers.”

Hankook also was helped in the past year by “a kind of trading down,” he said, as many consumers moved away from expensive tyres to more reasonably priced ones with good quality.

Todd Hershberger, senior vice president of sales and marketing, added: “What consumers are really looking for is value and that’s really what’s helped us in a difficult economy. That’s what we represen - a great quality product.”

By Alex Kapadia

Pirelli is set to concentrate more efforts on its tyres-related business after reporting a return to profit in 2009 helped by restructuring.

The news has paved the way for the Italian tyres manufactures to spin off its non-tyre activities.

The company announced in a statement: “In the course of 2010, the group will concentrate further on its core business and become more of a pure tyre company.”

Pirelli’s share price has more than doubled in a year, benefiting from prospects for increased focus on its core tyre business even though a planned merger of its Pirelli Real Estate unit with Italian peer Fimit fell through in January.

No details were forthcoming from the company about plans to split the real estate side of the business from tyres.

However, one analyst said he expected a proposal in April with the most likely option a distribution of shares in Pirelli RE to shareholders in the parent company.

Like many other tyre manufacturers, Pirelli hiked the prices of their tyres this year to offset higher raw material prices.

The company said it expected a 6 to 8 percent rise in its tyre unit revenues this year with an EBIT margin in line with 2009 taking account of higher raw material prices.

By Alex Kapadia

Bridgestone tyres are revving up for the first race of their final season as the official tyre supplier to the FIA Formula One World Championship.

They are bringing their super soft and medium 2010 spec dry slick tyres to the first Grand Prix of the season in Bahrain this weekend.

The tyres have gone through a few changes for the new season, starting with a narrower front tyre, to give a more even grip balance front to rear.

Modifications have also been made to the tyre construction and compounds, due to the heavier cars and different strategy options brought about by the ban on refuelling.

Two compounds of dry tyre will be available for every grand prix, with the requirement that both are used in the race.

Although Bridgestone’s range of dry tyres for the season retain the same names of hard, medium, soft and super soft, the compounds are changed from those used in 2009.

In a change to the regulations, the number of tyres available per driver for each grand prix is reduced from 7 of each compound to 6 of the ‘prime’ compound and 5 of the ‘option’.

The wet tyre range remains as before, with the wet and intermediate tyre available at every race, with 3 sets of the wet and 4 of the intermediate available for each driver.

By Denna Bowman

Pirelli tyres is scheduled to report its fourth quarter results tomorrow and analysts anticipate a rise in revenues due to an increase in sales.

Deutsche Bank Equity Research estimates the Italian tyres manufacturer saw a 15 per cent increase in unit sales compared with decreases in the previous nine months, according to Tyres and Accessories magazine.

It also reports on the negative price mix (a price mix of -2% vs. 6.9% in Q1, 5.6% in Q2 and 4.7% in Q3) has allowed Pirelli to gain marketshare on the continued discipline of manufacturers and a 2% positive foreign exchange impact.

Deutsche Bank predicts margins should benefit from low raw material prices, as the large price increases for these commodities took place in 2010.

The bank anticipates consolidated sales of 1,112 million euros, 46% more year-on-year after more than 20% decline in the first half of the year, and organic debit of 80 million euros.

Net income is expected to be 1.8 million euros, as compared to a loss of 296 million euros in the fourth quarter of 2008. Restructuring costs during the quarter should be 45 million euros, as opposed to 95 million euros in the final quarter of 2008.

By Alex Kapadia

The development of fuel-efficient tyres helped Goodyear through the recession, according to the company boss.

Robert Keegan, chairman and CEO of Goodyear tyres, said: “We made the right decision late in 2008 to launch a record 62 new products in 2009 despite poor industry conditions. Others may have made a different decision.”

He pointed to the launch of the Goodyear Assurance Fuel Max tyre in North America as a “prime example of an impactful new product launch”.

The tyre was the most successful high value-added new product launch in the history of the company, taking just seven months to sell more than one million tyres and going on to sell a total of two million.

Keegan said the reason for the company’s success was it struck the right note with consumers, offering innovative products and mid-tier pricing.

He said: “With fuel-efficient tyres, we have created a major new growth generator for our company and for our customers.

“My comment to our customers has been consistent and clear. Don’t underestimate the market’s appetitie for fuel-efficient tires. It is likely to exceed all our expectations.”