Formula One will use special green-branded tyres in the Japanese
Grand Prix to show the sport’s support for the FIA’s ‘Make Cars Green’
environmental campaign.
The Bridgestone tyres used by all F1 teams will carry green stripes in the rubber’s grooves throughout the Fuji weekend. The green tyres were unveiled at a press event in Tokyo today, and were displayed on Ferrari and McLaren’s cars.
"We hope that the launch of the Make Cars Green tyre will draw
public attention to the many environmental initiatives in and around
Formula One," said Bridgestone CEO Shoshi Arakawa.
"Environmental preservation is at the centre of our work at the
Bridgestone Group and we hope that this collaboration with the FIA will
help to spread this ethos worldwide."
F1 is set to adopt more environmentally-friendly technologies in the
future, starting with the Kinetic Energy Recovery Systems that will be
introduced in 2009.
"Since it first launched I’ve been happy to help promote the very
positive messages of the Make Cars Green campaign," said McLaren’s
Lewis Hamilton.
"It is a subject that goes far beyond racing. The car is an
incredibly positive thing and I think the messages of the campaign help
to show us that we can all choose to drive in a greener way.
"The new Make Cars Green tyre that all the teams will be running on
in Fuji is a great way to promote the campaign and a real first for
Formula One. The sport can also help in other ways, especially with the
launch of new energy efficient technologies next season."
The
connections between greener motoring and Formula One will be further
strengthened next year with the introduction of energy regenerating
hybrid devices, one of a number of initiatives in the sport that will
be increasingly relevant to the car industry and help accelerate the
use of fuel-efficient technology on public roads.
World champion Kimi Räikkönen said:
"I’m really pleased to help support this campaign, the new tyre for Fuji is a great way of using the sport to send a positive message to a massive global audience.
it’s not only about marketing, F1 attracts some of the best engineers
in the world. I think some of the most important work they’ve done has
been in terms of safety, it’s improved hugely in recent years. If the
safety and the new green technology lessons learned in motor sport are
applied to motoring then the sport will have played a really important
part in saving lives as well as perhaps helping to save the planet."
Q: Kimi, how do you look back at this season so far?
KR: It
definitely wasn’t the season that I was expecting after the last
season. I think we started pretty well, but after that it has been
quite difficult, especially the last four races, five races, it wasn’t
good for me. But, we are still in the championship for the team, and
we’ll try to get that one this year again. For myself it’s more or less
over, but we’ll do the best job we can for the team, and look for next
year again.
Q: Last year you were third in the Japanese Grand Prix. How about this year?
KR: Definitely
we’ll try to improve on last year. We don’t know how the weather is
going to be. I heard it’s going to be a little bit tricky on Saturday,
and it should be better on Sunday again. Last year was very difficult
with the weather and the conditions. It’s a nice circuit, but
unfortunately, like I said, last year was tricky with the rain
conditions and the visibility. We’ll see how we do. We should have a
strong car, and like I said it’s a fun circuit, so we’ll do the best
that we can, and try to be on top.
Q: The teams and drivers have endorsed the Make Cars Green campaign.
In your daily lives, is there anything that you do to promote
environmentally friendly driving?
KR: I
think an easy way is you don’t load up the car too much, you don’t put
too many heavy things in the car, otherwise it’s not as effective
anymore and not as friendly for us or the environment. I think also you
use less fuel and it’s more effective that way.
Full details of the Make Cars Green campaign and the FIA Declaration are available on the campaign web site.
Good luck with that! There will need to be massive changes in the sport if there is to be any significant impact on the environment, and I fear that may hinder what the sport should really be about. Kimi’s conference speech must have taken him ages to rehearse but it does have a good point – motorsport, particularly in F1, with it’s huge attraction of the best engineering and developments can use this positive to help the save lives and the environment.
FUCK ISRAEL 
Ick! Can we hope they look better when the cars are at full speed? In that picture they look like a Liquorice Allsort!!!And making the sport ‘green’? How can that really be claimed after all the power used to light the Singapore GP? Not to mention all the other night races Bernie would like!!
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Ha ha, yes they do look like Licorice Allsorts. Good one Nicki. What a pointless episode. Love the Kimi quote, not so much agreeing as saying something totally different, but more meaningful than green stripey tyres.
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I’m just happy to see Kimi smile in those photos :)) He looks very relax and comfortable, yes Keep smiling and flying Kimi!!
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Hi Saima ! I love those photos about the new green car! Kimi smile ^^
But this morning i was so sad about the canadian grand prix in Montréal !
This year I have doing a plan to talk with Kimi and today I know he will not comming in Canada.
My dream is over.
Tanks you evenstar to put some nice picture of Kimi’s smile, they make me happy
and Keep smiling my beautiful Kimi !!!!
(sorry for my bad English)You know I live in Montréal !!!
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