When you order something from the internet you want to be sure you are getting the best deal and top service - and that’s what Mr Lord from Barnet was delighted to receive after he ordered his tyres from our North West London branch.

After having his tyres fitted by Marcus’s team, this is what Mr Lord had to say in an email to the national sales office: “I just wanted to let you at etyres know about the experience I had placing an order with you.

‘It’s has been a long time since I have been impressed enough to actually put it in writing.

‘From the moment I contacted you to place the order and arrange fitting location, you confirming the tyres were available right through to notification and fitting has been a pleasant experience. Polite, friendly, efficient and then cheaper too!!! And done at my convenience not yours.

“Suffice to say the people I work with were also impressed. For me there is only one tyre provider for me from now on.

“Once again many thanks for your assistance.”

Robin, national sales team

By Denna Bowman

Illegal shipments of thousands of old tyres have been intercepted before they could be transported from Scotland to West Africa.

Inspectors from the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (Sepa) have discovered four containers of old tyres, TV sets and other discarded consumer products which were due to be shipped to Nigeria and Ghana in the last five months.

The tyres were found on an industrial estate in Coatbridge, Lanarkshire, earlier this year, while the broken televisions were discovered in industrial units in Glasgow.

A further shipment of tyres being sent to Nigeria from Scotland was halted last month at Felixstowe by Sepa’s sister body in England, the Environment Agency, after being alerted by Scottish officials.

Sepa experts warned that the consignments were part of a growing illegal trade in potentially hazardous waste that should be recycled in the UK.

But old tyres and TV sets, that are likely to cause health problems and pollution in the countries to which they are exported, can be sold for a profit to African traders.

Officials described the individuals behind the shipments as “waste tourists” who travel the UK finding waste products for export. Shipping waste without the appropriate licence is an offence that attracts an unlimited fine and up to two years in prison.

However, Sepa said no legal action had been taken in these cases as the agency preferred to give the individuals involved an opportunity to follow the correct procedures.

By Alex Kapadia

Bridgestone tyres showed ‘true Japanese grit’ during the thrilling Singapore Grand Prix set against the fabulous night time skyline of the city.

Hirohide Hamashima, director of motorsport tyres development for Bridgestone, said: “Today we saw another very exciting race.

“It was the first time this weekend that we had a completely dry track so there was a lot of track surface evolution. This made the strategies very interesting as we were all watching very closely to see how both compounds would perform.

“We could certainly see differences with tyre wear and degradation from different cars, car set-ups and driving styles.

“Both Fernando and Sebastian managed their tyres very well with very similar strategies meaning a very close battle between them for the entire race. Mark showed the durability of the medium compound by completing almost all of the race distance on the same set of tyres.

“Not only did Mark’s tyres continue to deliver strong performance, but they also withstood the contact with Lewis. In this contact the front right tyre sidewall was pushed out of alignment with the rim, yet it retained its inner pressure for the rest of the race.

“We can say that this tyre displayed true Japanese grit today.”

Hiroshi Yasukawa, director of Bridgestone Motorsport added: “Congratulations to Fernando Alonso and Ferrari for their second win in a row. Congratulations also to the organisers of the Singapore for putting for such a great spectacle.

“This race is very tough for teams and drivers but it gives us one of the most exciting events for fans and spectators set against the fabulous night time skyline of Singapore.

“I think that this will continue to be a strong event for Formula 1 with many new fans here. I believe that the Bridgestone brand has been promoted very well from here to the outside world.”

We have had an overwhelmingly positive response to latest service - supplying and fitting Alloygator rim protects to wheels.

Customers ordering tyres are adding a set of the rim protectors to their order and they are delighted with them.

Mr S Milne emailed our national sales team to say this: “Chris, from your Middlesborough branch, came to fit red alloygators to my new 60 reg Fabia VRS…WOW! Not only do they look amzing, but the standard of service was first class and very prompt and professional.

“Alloygators were fitted in 45 minutes. Top job and set off the car so well. Definitely use etyres again!”

etyres are the exclusive fitting partners for AlloyGator, the revolutionary alloy wheel protection system designed to protect and compliment expensive them from expensive and unsightly kerb damage.

The AlloyGator’s are available in eight colours, black (hardly discernable), silver (makes wheels look larger), red, blue, white, yellow, green even pink! They come in a universal size which fits all wheels up to and including 21 inch.

etyres operate a mobile AlloyGator fitting service and can supply and fit your new AlloyGators at a location and time to suit you.

Alex, national sales team

By Alex Kapadia

The wet weather has presented Formula One drivers and their engineers with several tyres strategy options ahead of tomorrow’s Singapore Grand Prix.

Hirohide Hamashima, director of motorsport tyre development for the Japanese tyres manufacturer, said: “Once more we had difficult track conditions with a wet track to start the running. Drivers certainly have to work hard to avoid the barriers and the engineers have to work hard to understand how the tyres are working in these challenging but entertaining conditions.

“From our perspective, we found the circuit evolution very strange so it is difficult to understand tyre behaviour. Generally with the super soft driver feedback was of more oversteer than normal so this has been an intriguing weekend so far.”

He added that strategies will depend on weather conditions for tomorrows Grand Prix. “When and if there is any rainfall will be a primary strategy consideration,” Hamashima said.

“If there is a wet track, it seems to take a very long time for the surface to dry so those sat in the cockpit will have to drive very accurately and pay strong attention to their work.

“If it is a dry track for the race, the wear and performance durability of both dry compounds should allow a wide range of strategy options so there is potential for a variety of strategy calls.

“Wet or dry, those on the pitwall will also have to concentrate very hard indeed tomorrow, but I think there is good potential for an entertaining race, just as we had an enjoyable qualifying session today.”

Wet weather and new sections of track are throwing up extra challenges for F1 drivers at the Singapore Grand Prix, according to Bridgestone tyres.

Hirohide Hamashima, director of motorsport tyres development for Bridgestone, said after yesterday’s practice sessions: “Not only did we have a wet track today, but around 40% of the track has been resurfaced. As with any street course, we see a lot of track evolution over the duration of the weekend so we are unsure exactly how much grip the surface will provide.

“In addition, there could be further rain before tomorrow’s sessions so the drivers and teams certainly have plenty of work in front of them.”

He added: “We saw wet tyres being used by some for installation laps in the first practice, then use of the intermediate tyres for much of the session.

“Drivers who didn’t have knowledge of this circuit conducted a lot of laps with the intermediates which gave us a lot of good data.

“The track was drier for the second session so we were able to see many laps completed on both dry compounds. Interestingly, the lap times were quicker than Friday here last year when the circuit was quite dusty.

“I think the smoother new surface helped with faster times too, although the new surface did take longer to dry than the older one.

“Today was also a significant day for our motorsport tyre factory in Japan as the very last Bridgestone Formula 1 tyres were produced. We would like to thank all the workers who have produced around 700,000 tyres for the world’s best drivers over the past 14 years.”

Alex Kapadia, Operations Team

By Alex Kapadia

Pirelli has announced that it has inaugurated its so-called ‘Factory of Champions’ where it will produce the tyres for Formula One for the next three years.

The plant at Izmit in Turkey, which is celebrating 50 years of activity, has been home to the Italian company’s tyre production line since 2007 and has worked in synergy with the research and development centre in Milan.

The plant is also Pirelli’s largest tyre-production facility, with an output of 8 million tyres for cars, trucks and motorsport each year.

Pirelli has invested €140m (US$187m) at Izmit over the last ten years and plans to invest a further €30m in 2011 to support expansion in Turkey and nearby emerging markets.

In 2011, Pirelli expects to produce 200,000 competition tyres, 50,000 being for F1 teams and 70,000 for the GP2 and GP3 championships, for which Pirelli is the sole supplier.

F1 tyres will be produced exclusively at the Izmit plant on the basis of simulation models, compounds and structures developed by Pirelli R&D, which employs 1,000 engineers and technicians.

The F1 line, which covers an area of 15,000 square metres, will run the most advanced sports tyre production machinery.

The Izmit facility, in synergy with Pirelli’s centre for the preparation of sports tyres in Burton upon Trent in the UK, will also be the centre of all F1 logistics activities.

By Alex Kapadia

Pirelli is delighted with the performance of its new Formula 1 tyres, which it claims are already just one second per lap slower than the current tyres supplied by Bridgestone.

The Italian tyres manufacturer is going full throttle developing and testing its racing range after being confirmed as the new sole supplier to F1 from 2011-2013.

Pirelli has already carried out several on track tests with a 2009-spec Toyota, and it is pleased with the progress it is making.

Francesco Gori, CEO of Pirelli Tyre, said: “So far, our results have been encouraging. We have completed more than 4000 kilometres already, and we have good results.

“When you consider that the car we are using is from 2009, so it is not quite as advanced as the cars racing this year, we are about one second per lap slower than the current tyres.

“After just three months of testing, this is enough. Especially as Bridgestone has been in Formula 1 for 13 years.”

It’s taken a bit longer than expected, but Pedro de la Rosa has been officially named as Nick Heidfeld’s replacement as a test driver for Pirelli as it works on developing its new F1 tyres.

However, the Spanish racer, who was dropped by Sauber for the final five races of the season and replaced by Heidfeld, will be sharing the job with GP2 racer Romain Grosjean.

Infact, Grosjean has already settled into the role of test driver for the Italian tyres manufacturer, after completing a series of tests at Monza last week.

But now Pirelli has confirmed that de la Rosa will join Grosjean in the remaining tests to be held prior to the F1 season finale in Abu Dhabi.

Francesco Gori, chief executive of Pirelli, said: “So far, our work has been done by Nick Heidfeld, but since he has returned to racing, he will be replaced by Pedro de la Rosa and Romain Grosjean.

“They will test until the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, and after that the teams will use the new tyres.”

Alex Kapadia, Operations Team

We pride ourselves not just on low prices for tyres and a convenient mobile fitting service, but also having exceptional teams across the UK who work tirelessly - no pun intended - to offer a great service to our customers.

And we were delighted that Mr A Scott took the trouble to let us know in an email how delighted he was with out tyres team in Leeds.

This is what he had to say in an email: “I would just like to comment on the second to none service which I have received from your company today. I called the Leeds depot at 9.30 this morning and was told that I could have a replacement tyre fitted today between 12 & 3pm. Sure enough, the fitter arrived at 2.30pm and could not have been any more helpful or friendlier. Fantastic service and I will certainly be recommending your company.”

Alex, National Sales Team