Bridgestone warns Ferrari and Williams

(27-Oct-98) - Bridgestone have warned Ferrari and Williams that unless they
sign with the Japanese tyre manufacturers soon, they may get left behind.

Both teams are currently have contracts with Goodyear who are due to quit
Formula 1 after this weekend's Japanese Grand Prix leaving Bridgestone as
the only tyre supplier in the sport, however, neither team has signed with
Bridgestone for the '99 season.

"At the moment, there are no contracts with Ferrari and Williams, but
they may sign later this week during the Suzuka Grand Prix weekend,"
said Bridgestone's technical director Hirohide Hamashima.

He added that unless they had signed by the end of the week, they wouldn't
be able to attend Bridgestone's tyre tests at Suzuka next week.

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