The WilliamsF1 team in particular has worked closely with Bridgestone to solve its recent drop in form and is expecting better results this coming weekend. Also keen to further its development is the MF1 Racing Team which arrives in Germany this week with suspension and aerodynamic upgrades on the M16. The Super Aguri F1 Team meanwhile is debuting not only its new challenger - the SA06 - but also Japanese driver Sakon Yamamoto, who takes over race duties this weekend from Franck Montagny. The SA06 car features a lower centre of gravity and the rear suspension has been optimised for efficient use of the team's Bridgestone Potenza F1 tyres.

Hiroshi Yasukawa, Director of Motorsport, said: "Racing in Germany is extremely important for Bridgestone. Not only is it a key road tyre market for us but it is also a home race for three race drivers from Bridgestone shod teams: Michael and Ralf Schumacher and Nico Rosberg. We fully anticipate that this weekend's race will be a hard fought one but we hope that for them, it will be a
particularly rewarding one. Furthermore, the Bridgestone teams have generally been growing in strength as the season has progressed and I am eager for them to do well here this weekend."

Tyres for Germany - 4.574 km
The 2006 tyre regulations permit each driver seven sets of dry tyres, four sets of wet weather tyres and three sets of extreme wet weather tyres. Combined with the increased number of teams running with Bridgestone in 2006, approximately 1,200 Bridgestone Potenza Formula One tyres have been sent from the Technical Centre in Kodaira City, Tokyo, to the Hockenheimring.

Hockenheim Preview with Hisao Suganuma
Bridgestone Motorsport Technical Manager, said: "In the past, the Hockenheim circuit has been heavily modified and top speeds reduced. However, there are still several high speed sections and some very tight hairpins. This makes it a tough track from a tyre perspective. The stadium section of the track requires very good grip so we need a tyre which can provide the necessary grip and performance in both high and low speed conditions on a track surface of medium roughness. At Hockenheim there is also the weather to contend with as it can vary from cool to really quite hot temperatures. Taking all these factors into consideration, Bridgestone is providing its teams with specifications in the medium to soft compound range. These specifications were decided following recent testing with the Bridgestone shod teams. Super Aguri completed a
shake down at Silverstone of their new car, which we are looking forward to seeing race for the first time this weekend, while Ferrari was in Paul Ricard and Toyota, Williams and MF1 Racing were in Jerez. The Paul Ricard and Jerez tests were particularly helpful, giving us data not just for this weekend but also for the next races in Hungary and Turkey."

E-reporter
This weekend's Bridgestone e-reporter finalist is 24-year-old Martin Westerhoff from Bonn, Germany. Westerhoff will spend the weekend reporting on the GP2 Series as well as soaking up the atmosphere of a grand prix weekend. This year's e-reporter race reports are available for viewing at www.bridgestone-eu.com/e-reporter.