Next slick tyre test in July

The next test to feature Bridgestone`s developments of the intended 2009 slick tyres is scheduled for July.

F1`s official sole tyre supplier said in a statement that it expects to make even `more progress` with the compounds, following the major test with slicks at Barcelona`s Circuit de Catalunya last week.

The first slick test was at Jerez last December.

Teams tried three revised slick compounds at the recent Barcelona session - nine sets allocated to each team - and technical manager Tetsuro Kobayashi said he was happy with the results.

He also responded to some drivers` concerns about the scheduled banning of tyre blankets next year by saying the warm-up situation out of the pits was `much improved`.

Meanwhile, Ferrari designer Nicholas Tombazis ruled out speculation that the Italian team is planning to roll out a prototype of its 2009 car at the next slick test. “Totally implausible,” he said in the pages of La Gazzetta dello Sport.

Source: GMM

21.4.2008   ▪ Formula One    ▪ testing    ▪ en.f1-live.com