BYE, BYE, BRIDGESTONE

The performance in MotoGP is so high that every single detail has to be at its maximum best. This is true for the bike, the rider, and the tires.

Yes, the tires. And the race Sunday at Valencia will carry extra significance because it will be the last MotoGP for Bridgestone. After seven seasons as the single MotoGP tire supplier, an era has come to an end. Bridgestone’s rise has been rapid; the Japanese tire company entered the top category of motorcycle road racing only in 2002.

Casey Stoner, on a Ducati in 2007, was the first MotoGP World Champion on Bridgestone. That season, Bridgestone-shod riders won 12 of 18 races. In 2008, Valentino Rossi switched from Michelin to the Japanese manufacturer. A wall divided the two teammates, with Rossi and Bridgestone on one side and Jorge Lorenzo and Michelin on the other. Following the Misano GP that season, there was another divorce: Dani Pedrosa switched to Bridgestone, while Nicky Hayden remained faithful to the French supplier.

In 2008, Bridgestone supplied six MotoGP teams and 11 riders, and Valentino Rossi (Yamaha) secured his sixth premier-class world title. In 2009, Bridgestone was the official tire supplier and Rossi secured another championship title for Yamaha. In 2010, Jorge Lorenzo won the world championship, followed by Casey Stoner on a Honda in 2011, when he secured his second MotoGP title.

With the return of the 1000cc machinery in 2012, Bridgestone celebrated a significant milestone in San Marino—is 100th MotoGP victory. The following years, 2013 and 2014, a young Marc Marquez wrote two superb chapters in the MotoGP (and Bridgestone) story. "I have very good memories of these three years together: winning the world title in my debut year in the premier class, and repeating the following year was simply great," said Marquez.

On Sunday, at the Grand Finale of the 2015 MotoGP championship, may the best man win! But regardless of who wins, this much is sure: The Bridgestone surely will bring back to Japan Valentino Rossi’s passionate comment—“It‘s just a great pleasure to ride my bike with Bridgestone tires.  With this fantastic front tire, you can bring the bike to the limit in every single corner.”