Tire graining to be problem in Brazil

Tire graining will be prevalent in Brazil, warns Bridgestone chief as the F1 circus gears up for the season finale in São Paulo.

What challenges does Interlagos present?
“We expect a lot of graining, especially at the beginning of the weekend. There are two reasons for this; Interlagos often has a very dirty track surface and the twisty infield layout makes graining likely, regardless of the track surface conditions.

“Interlagos is a track which is deceptive as it is not as harsh on tires as you would think, although the weather conditions can play a big part, especially if it is hot like it was last season."

Why has the tire allocation changed from 2007?
“Last year we were too soft in our allocation and we saw blistering on many tires, even those used by competitors who we would expect to be quite gentle on our tires.

“We expect the medium and soft compounds be a good choice, plus the change will provide teams with a challenge, especially as the track surface will have evolved from last year when it was brand new."