Bridgestone quitting F1. Will that affect Indy?

[bjohnsonsmith]

Bridgestone, the owners of Firestone, have confirmed they are quitting F1 at the end of this year. Though no announcement has been made regarding the IRL/IICS, the obvious question is, could this impact on the IRL/IICS?

[JagtechOhio]

I HOPE this says that won't be a concern:

FORT WORTH, Texas (March 1, 2010) – Texas Motor Speedway and Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations (BATO) announced today that the entities have finalized a multi-year arrangement for the Firestone brand to serve as the title sponsor of the annual June IndyCar Series event at the world-class motorsports facility.

[climb]

Quitting the most important series a manufacturere is involved in, normally is like pruning some branches of a treee, it frees more resources for others, so this can only strenghten Firestone's commitment in Indycar.

For instance, after quitting F1 Toyota have decicded to enter the LMP1 challenge

[Birddog07]

Toyota entered LMPC? Link? Or do you mean they are developing an LMP1 car for 2011? ()

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by climb

Quitting the most important series a manufacturere is involved in, normally is like pruning some branches of a treee, it frees more resources for others, so this can only strenghten Firestone's commitment in Indycar.

For instance, after quitting F1 Toyota have decicded to enter the LMP1 challenge

Bridgestone must see the IRL as the better option over F1. Doesn't say alot for F1.

[fourWheelDrift]

Originally Posted by bjohnsonsmith

Bridgestone must see the IRL as the better option over F1. Doesn't say alot for F1.

A fair point but I suspect it has more to do with the relative size of the investment than the percieved quality of the series or scale of the benefit.

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by fourWheelDrift

A fair point but I suspect it has more to do with the relative size of the investment than the percieved quality of the series or scale of the benefit.

Quite true and it's exactly the size of investment and scale of benefit that would make the IRL a more attracive option over F1.

[HJJ]

Bridgestone/Firestone HQ in North America is in Nashville, TN. They were (at least in the last couple of years) looking at a street race there.

If Firestone didn't have the history at the Speedway, I think the tires would be branded Bridgestone.

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by HJJ

Bridgestone/Firestone HQ in North America is in Nashville, TN. They were (at least in the last couple of years) looking at a street race there.

If Firestone didn't have the history at the Speedway, I think the tires would be branded Bridgestone.

I just wonder if the average Joe is aware Bridgestone own Firestone and that Bridgestone use the Firestone brand as it is an icon that's synonymous with US motorsport.

[HJJ]

Originally Posted by bjohnsonsmith

I just wonder if the average Joe is aware Bridgestone own Firestone and that Bridgestone use the Firestone brand as it is an icon that's synonymous with US motorsport.

Good question, I don't know if Joe Average is aware of that. Bridgestone has been getting a lot of exposure recently on the PGA Tour. They sponsor quite a few players on tour and run quite a few commericals for their golf balls.

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by HJJ

Good question, I don't know if Joe Average is aware of that. Bridgestone has been getting a lot of exposure recently on the PGA Tour. They sponsor quite a few players on tour and run quite a few commericals for their golf balls.

I didn't know they made golf balls. The golf balls would be a good form of secondary marketing, if the IRL were to be directly supplied by Bridgstone rather than through Firestone.

[HJJ]

Originally Posted by bjohnsonsmith

I didn't know they made golf balls. The golf balls would be a good form of secondary marketing, if the IRL were to be directly supplied by Bridgstone rather than through Firestone.

They made a commerical with Freddy Couples and a Pacific Coast DP-01 and then ChampCar was "condensed" into the IRL. It didn't run very long, but it's pretty good.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nlDNTouZ3nA

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by HJJ

They made a commerical with Freddy Couples and a Pacific Coast DP-01 and then ChampCar was "condensed" into the IRL. It didn't run very long, but it's pretty good.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nlDNTouZ3nA

That's a clever bit of marketing. Bridgestone should think about a possible brand merger with those golf balls, to heighten awareness and their involvement through Firestone with the IICS.