After testing various different methods at a recent test in Sepang, Bridgestone have been given the go ahead to use a white stripe painted in one of the grooves on each tyre to differentiate between hard and soft compounds. The decision was made after Bridgestone tried white dots, red dots, and this white line idea. After checking with the teams and onlookers, it has been decided to go with this highly-visible solution.
We have found a better solution by marking the bottom of the second from inside tyre groove white. It is time consuming to apply to the tyres but is clearly visible on track. Kees Van De Grint.
The white line will be painted on the softer compound of tyres to allow viewers to see which driver is on which compound during the race, and the new solution will feature at next weekends Malaysian Grand Prix.
Just one question: What happens when the tyres become worn on the highly-abrasive tracks such as Circuit du Gilles Villeneuve? Does it make a difference if the stripe gets worn away during a stint? I suspect not, as it will be clear after the driver has left the pitlane which compound he is on, but thought it was worth a mention.
