Zoom White markings would stand out much better

Norbert Haug believes Bridgestone should consider altering its method for visibly distinguishing the two compounds of tyres on offer at Grand Prix in 2009.

With grooves being replaced by slicks for this season, it was no longer possible to paint white the inside middle groove of the softest tyre option.

A month before the 2009 season, following extensive winter testing, F1's official tyre supplier said it would instead paint a green line around the inside and outside edges of the sidewalls.

The colour green was selected to show Bridgestone's support for the FIA's 'Make Cars Green' environmental campaign.

However, in Melbourne last weekend, television viewers - including team figures in the garages and on the pitwall - at times expressed difficulty in identifying the green markings.

The problem may have been worsened by the evening sun.

"Perhaps the contrast of white on black is better than green on black," Mercedes' Haug admitted to German media.

"It is something to think about," he added, echoing comments previously made by several F1 pundits.

To heighten the importance of the matter, the significance of the tyres being used this season has increased given Bridgestone's new policy of skipping a specification in order to avoid offering two consecutive tyre types, therefore augmenting the difference in on-track performances.

For example, in Melbourne the 'medium' tyre was the specification of choice in the race, because the much softer 'super soft' significantly lost performance even after a lap or two.

With the 'soft' option not available, drivers had to deal with the wider margin between 'medium' and 'super soft' tyres. The greater challenge of establishing race strategies therefore had to be worked out accordingly.

D.B. © CAPSIS International
Source: GMM