Bridgestone Races Worldwide in 2004
Tokyo, Japan, Jan. 21, 2004 - (JCN Newswire) - Bridgestone Corporation
has announced plans to supply tires to competitors in a
sweeping range of motorsport events in 2004. "Bridgestone technology has
helped the world's best racing teams win in Formula One and in other
motorsport series, and we are determined to help them keep winning,"
declared the company's CEO, Shigeo Watanabe.
Winning ways continued for Bridgestone in Formula One in 2003. The
company's Potenza tires carried Michael Schumacher and Ferrari to the
drivers' and constructors' season championships. Bridgestone tires have
now been first across the finish line in a total of 79 F1 races.
In the 2004 F1 season, Bridgestone will again supply tires to the world
champion Ferrari team and to three other teams. That means that eight
machines will be racing on Bridgestone Potenza tires. The 2004 season
gets under way on March 7 with the Australian Grand Prix. This year's F1
calendar features 18 races, culminating in the Brazilian Grand Prix on
October 24.
Bridgestone's Firestone brand will again be the sole tire brand in the
IndyCar Series, formerly known as the Indy Racing League. That racing
series will include the Bridgestone Indy Japan 300 Mile at Japan's Twin
Link Motegi circuit on April 17. Altogether, the 2004 IndyCar Series
will comprise 16 races.
Japan's premier open-wheel racing series, Formula Nippon, will be
another showcase for Bridgestone tires in 2004. This year's Formula
Nippon series will consist of nine events, including a race at
Malaysia's Sepang Circuit.
Teams race on tires from multiple manufacturers in the Japan GT
Championship. But competitors equipped with Bridgestone tires won seven
of the eight races in the GT500 class of that series in 2003. The 2004
Japan GT Championship series will comprise seven races. Bridgestone will
also supply tires for other Japanese auto racing series, including the
Japan Gymkhana Championship, the All Japan Dirt Trial Championship, and
the All Japan Rally Championship.
Motorcycle racing also remains an important emphasis in Bridgestone's
motorsports program. At the pinnacle of motorcycle racing is the MotoGP
series, and Bridgestone began supplying tires to competitors in that
series in 2002. The company will concentrate its support for grand prix
motorcycle racing exclusively on MotoGP competition in 2004. A
Bridgestone-equipped rider mounted a MotoGP victory podium for the first
time in 2003. That was when Makoto Tamada achieved a third-place finish
in the 12th race of the season.
After supplying tires on just one MotoGP works team in 2003, Bridgestone
will provide tires to three works teams in the 2004 season. Those teams
will be racing a total of five machines. In motorcycle racing besides
grand prix events, Bridgestone will furnish tires for the All Japan Road
Race Championship, the All Japan Motocross Championship, and the AMA
Supercross/National Series.
Below is a summary of the racing teams and the drivers and riders who
will compete on Bridgestone tires in international racing events in
2004.
FIA Formula One World Championship
Bridgestone-equipped drivers and teams
Driver Team
Michael Schumacher Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro
Rubens Barrichello
Giancarlo Fisichella Sauber Petronas
Felipe Massa
To be named Jordan Ford
To be named
GIanmaria Bruni Minardi Cosworth
Zsolt Baumgartner
2004 F1 Calendar
March 7 Melbourne, Australia
March 21 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
April 4 Bahrain, Bahrain
April 25 Imola, San Marino
May 9 Barcelona, Spain
May 23 Monaco, Monaco
May 30 Nurburgring, Germany
(European Grand Prix)
June 13 Montreal, Canada
June 20 Indianapolis, United States
July 4 Magny-Cours, France
July 11 Silverstone, United Kingdom
July 25 Hockenheim, Germany
August 15 Budapest, Hungary
August 29 Spa-Francorchamps, Belgium
September 12 Monza, Italy
September 26 Shanghai, China
October 10 Suzuka, Japan
October 24 Sao Paulo, Brazil
IndyCar Series
All drivers and teams will race on Bridgestone's Firestone-brand tires
2004 IndyCar Series Calendar
February 29 Miami, Florida
March 21 Phoenix, Arizona
April 17 Motegi, Japan
(Bridgestone Indy Japan 300 Mile)
May 30 Indianapolis, Indiana
(Indy 500)
June 12 Fort Worth, Texas
June 26 Richmond, Virginia
July 4 Kansas City, Kansas
July 17 Nashville, Tennessee
July 25 Milwaukee, Wisconsin
August 1 Brooklyn, Michigan
August 15 Ft. Mitchell, Kentucky
August 22 Pike's Peak, Colorado
August 29 Nazareth, Pennsylvania
September 12 Chicago, Illinois
October 3 Fontana, California
October 17 Forth Worth, Texas
MotoGP Motorcycle Racing
Bridgestone-equipped riders and teams
Driver Team Machine
Makoto Tamada Camel Honda Honda RC211V
Shinya Nakano Kawasaki Racing Team Kawasaki Ninja ZX-RR
Alex Hofmann
John Hopkins Suzuki Grand Prix Team Suzuki GSV-R
Kenny Roberts
2004 MotoGP Calendar
April 18 Welkom, South Africa
May 2 Jerez de la Frontera, Spain
May 16 LeMans,France
June 6 Mugello, Italy
June 13 Barcelona, Spain
June 26 Assen, Netherlands
July 4 Jacarepagua, Brazil
July 18 Sachsenring, Germany
July 25 Donington Park, United Kingdom
August 22 Brno, Czech Republic
September 5 Estoril, Portugal
September 19 Motegi, Japan
October 2 Qatar, Qatar
October 10 Sepang, Malaysia
October 17 Phillip Island, Australia
October 31 Valencia, Spain
2004 AMA Supercross/National Series Calendar
Bridgestone-equipped drivers and teams
250 Class Chad Reed Honda RC211V Yamaha Motor
Corp
Tim Ferry
David Vuillimen
Michael Byrne Kawasaki Motor Corp Kawasaki
Mike LaRocco Factory Connection Honda
Kevin Windham
125 Class James Stewart Kawasaki Motor Corp Kawasaki
Paul Carpenter
Ivan Tedesco Pro Circuit Kawasaki
Stephane Roncada
Matt Walker
Eric Sorby
Travis Preston Factory Connection Honda
Christopher Gosselaar
Ryan Mills
Billy Laninovich
2004 AMA Supercross/National Series Calendar
January 3 Anaheim, California
January 10 Phoenix, Arizona
January 17 Anaheim, California
January 24 San Diego, California
January 31 Anaheim, California
February 7 San Francisco, California
February 14 Houston, Texas
February 21 Minneapolis, Minnesota
February 28 Atlanta, Georgia
March 6 Daytona, Florida
March 13 St. Louis, Missouri
March 20 Indianapolis, Indiana
April 3 Pontiac, Michigan
April 17 Dallas, Texas
April 24 Salt Lake City, Utah
May 1 Las Vegas, Nevada
May 16 Sacramento, California
May 30 Mount Morris, Pennsylvania
June 13 Southwick, Massachusetts
June 20 Budds Creek, Maryland
July 4 Buchanan, Michigan
July 18 Unadilla, New York
July 25 Troy, Ohio
August 1 Washougal, Washington
August 15 Millville, Minnesota
August 22 Binghamton, New York
September 5 Delmont, Pennsylvania
September 12 San Bernardino, California
About Bridgestone Corporation
Bridgestone Corporation , headquartered in Tokyo, is the
world's largest manufacturer of tires and other rubber products. Tires
account for 80 percent of Bridgestone Group sales worldwide. The company
also manufactures industrial rubber and chemical products, sporting
goods, and other diversified products. It sells its tires and other
products in more than 150 nations.For further information, please visit
the Bridgestone Corporation home page at: www.bridgestone.co.jp/
<http://www.bridgestone.co.jp/>
