Bridgestone to stop making tires for Formula One
Goodyear, Michelin say they have no plans to step in
Tuesday, Nov. 03, 2009
AP
FILE - In this Sept. 26, 2007 file photo, Bridgestone Corp. President and Chief Executive Shoshi Arakawa poses for photographers next to a Formula One race car with his company's tires on at a press conference in Tokyo. Bridgestone Corp. plans to stop supplying tires for the Formula One auto racing in 2011. A day after the 2009 F1 season ended in Abu Dhabi, Bridgestone, the Japanese company vying with Michelin SCA of France to be the world's biggest tiremaker, announced Monday it wants to focus its resources on core tire businesses. (AP Photo/David Guttenfelder, File)
AKRON, Ohio - Now that Bridgestone Corp. says it will stop making tires for Formula One racing, what other tire maker wants to step in?
The other two major tire makers, Goodyear and Michelin, for now say look elsewhere.
Bridgestone announced Sunday it will stop supplying Formula One race tires by the end of the 2010 season. It will not renew a three-year contract that currently makes it the open cockpit/open wheel sport's sole tire supplier.
The prestigious and globally popular Formula One race circuit has a much stronger fan base outside of the United States.
Michelin isn't interested in re-entering Formula One -- also known as F1 -- racing, a spokeswoman for the company's North American headquarters said Monday. The French tire maker stopped making tires for Formula One racing in 2006.
And Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co., which makes NASCAR race tires at its sole remaining Akron tire factory, sounds lukewarm about getting back into the market.
''We have no plans to re-enter F1," Goodyear spokesman Ed Markey said. "However, we continually evaluate a wide range of opportunities to determine the best fit for our strategic direction and make decisions based on the best interests of the company."
Goodyear stopped supplying tires for Formula One at the end of the 1998 season after 33 years with the sport.
Bridgestone's decision to leave Formula One racing will not affect its race tire operations in Akron, according to a union spokesman.
More than 140 members of Steelworkers Local 7 make Indy-style race tires in part of Bridgestone Americas' technical center complex in Akron.
Bridgestone's Formula One tires are made in Japan.
Other news reports said Italian tire maker Pirelli was unlikely to be interested in returning to Formula One racing.
Jim Mackinnon can be reached at 330-996-3544 or jmackinnon@thebeaconjournal.com.
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