At the request of racing circuit officials, Firestone has rolled out a distinctive new tire to be used in this season’s seven IndyCar Series street- and road-course competitions.
Known as “alternate tires” or “reds,” they are easily identifiable by their bright red sidewalls. Identical in body construction to the company’s primary black-sidewalled Firehawk racing slicks, they feature a softer tread compound to yield quicker lap times.
The softer compound construction will provide more grip and adhere to the track surface better, leading to later braking and faster cornering speeds. “However, even utilizing the highest technology currently available, a soft compound is not going to be as durable against the high speeds, abrasive track surfaces and heat. Therefore, tire management is a crucial aspect of the alternate tire program,” explains Al Speyer, executive director of Firestone Racing.
Two tire specifications – primary and alternate– have been developed for each of the road/street-course races on the 2009 IndyCar schedule.
“It’s quite a task to develop, test and approve for use a second Firestone Firehawk tire compound for seven very different racetracks,” Speyer reports. “But we believe, and many agree, that the alternate tires will contribute another element of excitement.”
The reds are available in limited quantities on a race weekend – only three sets per car, with each team required to use at least one unused “sticker” set for at least two green-flag laps in the race.
“Thus, the alternate tire concept throws in a tantalizing element of strategy as each team determines when to utilize its reds and for how long in a race. The alternates will play a vital role in the IndyCar Series’ popular ‘knockout’ qualifying system as well, as teams must decide whether to use a set of (the new tires) in a particular segment,” he says.
“So when an alternate tire loses a bit of performance, remember that it is doing exactly what it was intended to do,” Speyer points out.
“Bridgestone Americas Motorsports pioneered the alternate tire concept and introduced it to competition at the 2004 Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach,” he recounts. “Since that time, the idea has evolved and has been applied in other forms of motorsports. We are further tweaking the program for the IndyCar Series this season, and it will be entertaining to watch as it unfolds.”
Speyer goes on to note that the company “is acting on the request of the IndyCar Series in developing and implementing the alternate tire program for 2009,” with an ultimate goal of using the technology discovered through the program “to narrow the inherent trade-off that occurs between the grip a tire offers and its overall durability. This is something everyone would value in their street car tires – more grip without compromising the life of the tire.”
For more information, visit www.bridgestone-firestone.com and www.indyracing.com.
