Bridgestone hits 50 wins with Schumacher triumph.

Michael Schumacher's victory in the French Grand Prix was the 50th time a car has taken the chequered flag in an F1 world championship race on Bridgestone tyres.

The company has taken just four and a half years to reach the landmark figure with seven winning drivers. The achievement puts Bridgestone fourth in the tyre supplier all-time rankings for Grand Prix wins and makes it easily the most successful in terms of the highest number of wins over the shortest period of time. In the championship tables, Bridgestone lies third with three constructor titles.

No one expected race wins by cars on Bridgestone tyres in the company's debut year in 1997 with just four teams - Arrows, Prost, Stewart and Minardi. But that did not rule out the potential for podium places and success came just two races into the season when Olivier Panis finished third in Brazil. In the final year of slick tyres, more podiums were forthcoming with second places by Rubens Barrichello, Damon Hill and another for Olivier Panis in Spain.

By 1998, after just a year in F1 and against competition, Bridgestone's partnership with McLaren-Mercedes was showing signs of what was to come. Mika Hakkinen was the first driver to win a grand prix on Bridgestone tyres when he claimed victory in Melbourne. Mika followed the triumph with another win in Brazil and went on to win a further six races that year before claiming the championship. His teammate David Coulthard added to Bridgestone's success in 1998 by winning the San Marino Grand Prix.

With Goodyear's departure, in 1999 and 2000 Bridgestone was the sole tyre supplier in F1 so inevitably all 33 victories were on the company's rubber. In 1999, Eddie Irvine, Michael Schumacher, Heinz-Harald Frentzen and Johnny Herbert joined the winning Bridgestone runners, while Mika once again took the title for McLaren-Mercedes and Bridgestone. Mika, Michael and David dominated 2000, but Rubens Barrichello also scored his first ever victory at Hockenheim.

And so to 2001 when, with a fresh competitor, all but two races have been won on Bridgestone tyres, six by Michael Schumacher and two by David Coulthard.

Bridgestone entered F1 to raise the company's profile in Europe and to have its engineering expertise tested on the ultimate proving ground. It has succeeded in both: tyre sales and the company's image have increased and improved, and Bridgestone has helped win three world championships.

Hiroshi Yasukawa, Director of Motorsport, said: "This is a great day for everyone in Bridgestone, marking in France 50 race wins on Bridgestone tyres. Of course, congratulations to Michael for the 50th victory, but I would also like to thank all seven drivers who have won races on our tyres - they have all played a part in us reaching this landmark. However, we see it as just the start and we will go on and continue to work hard so we can soon celebrate 100 wins."