Schumacher flat fault discovered.
Bridgestone has completed its investigation into Michael Schumacher's Spanish Grand Prix puncture, and discovered that a fitting problem was to blame.
Experts from the Japanese company found that the beading around the edge of the tyre had been damaged when it was fitted to the wheel, leaving enough of a break to allow air to seep out of the tyre under the pressure of race action. The problem caused Schumacher to have to make a third pit-stop in Barcelona, costing him any chance of a podium finish.
Bridgestone has completed its investigation into Michael Schumacher's Spanish Grand Prix puncture, and discovered that a fitting problem was to blame.
Experts from the Japanese company found that the beading around the edge of the tyre had been damaged when it was fitted to the wheel, leaving enough of a break to allow air to seep out of the tyre under the pressure of race action. The problem caused Schumacher to have to make a third pit-stop in Barcelona, costing him any chance of a podium finish.
''We have received the results of our analysis of Michael Schumacher's left rear tyre, which suffered a loss of pressure during the Spanish Grand Prix,'' confirmed a statement from Bridgestone's Yoshihiko Ichikawa, ''The tyre bead was damaged when the tyre was fitted to the wheel rim, and this tiny cut caused air to slowly leak from around the rim due to the flexing caused as the tyre endured side and lateral forces during the race.''
