Bridgestone, which has been absent from F1 for 15 years, passed the technical vetting undertaken by the FIA, and has been deemed qualified to be the F1 tyre supplier following the initial tender phase.
Phase 2 is the commercial side, as the supplier is also an official partner of the F1 organisation, paying a substantial fee into the pot that is eventually split with the teams. It’s not just about the headline amount, but also how much track signage the deal involves and how many races receive title sponsorship, all the way down to details such as how many guest pass …