Bridgestone's Sunday update - China
Reigning Formula One world champion Jenson Button (Vodafone McLaren Mercedes) used Bridgestone's soft compound and intermediate tyres to win a thrilling Chinese Grand Prix in mixed weather conditions at Shanghai International Circuit. Button led his team-mate Lewis Hamilton across the line by 1.5 seconds.
He started on the soft dry compound, before using two sets of intermediates to take him to the chequered flag. Hamilton made four stops, using a soft-intermediate-hard-intermediate-intermediate tyre strategy. Mercedes GP Petronas F1 Team driver Nico Rosberg finished third.
Hiroshi Yasukawa – Director of Bridgestone Motorsport, says “Congratulations to Jenson Button for his second win this season and Vodafone McLaren Mercedes for their 1-2. This race was very well supported by Bridgestone China who had many guests present. We were all rewarded with a fantastic battle on track which was enjoyed by all of our guests. Today highlighted the qualities of our dry and intermediate tyres. We are pleased to support such an exciting race.”
Hirohide Hamashima - Bridgestone Director of Motorsport Tyre Development, says “Today was a fascinating and thrilling race. Fascinating, because conditions were right on the cross- over between the dry and intermediate tyre for so many laps, and thrilling for the action this caused on track. Jenson Button drove very intelligently to take his second win of the season by remaining on the soft tyre when many changed to intermediates, and making good use of his track position from there. There were many different approaches today. The soft compound worked very well in the damp conditions and we are happy with the performance of the intermediate. Both tyres required careful management and Formula One was gifted with a superb spectacle in Shanghai. Now the next challenge for many of our staff is finding a way back to Europe.”
