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51-494: Aprilia rejoined the MotoGP class in 2012 , taking advantage of the newly introduced Claiming Rule Team category that encouraged independent teams with lower budgets to use bikes from manufacturers not officially involved in MotoGP. Aprilia supplied RSV4 SBK-derived bikes under the ART (Aprilia Racing Technology) name to Aspar Team , Paul Bird Motorsport and Speed Master teams. In both

102-510: A continent–wide scheme called Truckpoint wherein fleets can take their vehicles to any Bridgestone approved garage throughout Europe and get Bridgestone specialist work carried out on their tires. There are no Bridgestone factories in the United Kingdom but there is a technical bay at which tyres returned by dissatisfied customers are inspected in Coventry . The plant at Ulyanovsk , Russia and

153-432: A fully-independent team using Ducati bikes. Aprilia's factory team is named Aprilia Racing. In 2025 , Jorge Martín signed for the factory team from Pramac Racing replacing the retiring Aleix Espargaró . ( key ) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap) * Season still in progress. 2012 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season The 2012 FIM MotoGP World Championship

204-665: A large number of Firestone global production sites into the Bridgestone organization. These sites included North America, Central and South America, Europe, New Zealand and other locations. Bridgestone also commenced production in Turkey. In 1992, the company established regional corporate offices in Europe and the Americas. Nashville –based Bridgestone Americas, Inc. (BSA) is the American subsidiary of

255-796: A major manufacturing tire factory in Australia: located in Salisbury, South Australia (this plant was eventually decommissioned in April 2011). Bridgestone has State Offices in all states of Australia, and has a large number of retail outlets across the country. In 2000 Bridgestone Australia Ltd. purchased the BANDAG Retreading plant and its operations in Australia. Bandag Manufacturing Pty Limited has 35 franchised dealers across Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Papua New Guinea and Nouméa. Bandag Manufacturing Pty Limited

306-641: A majority share holding. As of mid–2007 the Australian operation was delisted from the Australian Stock exchange and became a solely owned Division of Bridgestone Corporation (pending minority shareholder approval as per Australian Corporate Law). Following the cancellation on Friday, 11 May 2007, of all shares held by minority shareholders, Bridgestone Australia Ltd. became a wholly owned subsidiary of Bridgestone Corporation of Japan. The selective capital reduction and subsequent privatisation which cost $ 49 million

357-588: A qualifying crash at Indianapolis . After ankle surgery, he returned to the series and won his final race of his career at his home race, the Australian Grand Prix , for the sixth successive season. Pedrosa went on a run of five victories in six races, with the streak being interrupted by a first-lap crash at Misano , where he was taken out by Héctor Barberá . Lorenzo finished second to Pedrosa on each occasion that he had won, and he took advantage of Pedrosa's accident to win at Misano. Lorenzo ultimately won

408-455: A steel cord plant in Clarksville, Tennessee , named Bridgestone Metalpha. Metalpha is currently ranked as the top provider in the global steel cord market. In May 1988, a takeover bid of America's No. 2 tire manufacturer, Akron, Ohio –based Firestone Tire and Rubber Company , was successful, and Firestone was placed under the Bridgestone umbrella as a subsidiary company. This purchase brought

459-462: Is a Japanese multinational manufacturing company founded in 1931 by Shojiro Ishibashi (1889–1976) in the city of Kurume , Fukuoka, Japan . The name Bridgestone comes from a calque translation and transposition of ishibashi ( 石橋 ), meaning 'stone bridge' in Japanese. It primarily manufactures tires , as well as golf equipment . As of 2021, Bridgestone is the largest manufacturer of tires in

510-406: Is a wholly owned subsidiary of Bridgestone Australia Limited, and operates under license to Bandag Incorporated. In 2006 Bridgestone purchased Bandag Incorporated, which is now a subsidiary of Bridgestone Corporation. From the purchase in 1981, the Australian operations of Bridgestone have been run as a publicly listed company on the Australian Stock exchange. Bridgestone Corporation has maintained

561-471: Is now named Bridgestone Americas, Inc. The tire division is Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations, LLC. In April 2012, Bridgestone Americas opened up its new Bridgestone Americas Technical Center in Akron. The $ 100 million facility, located just down the street from the former headquarters, tire plant, and technical center, houses 450 employees whose jobs are to develop innovative and advanced tire technologies for

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612-639: Is the first new tire plant in the city of Akron in more than 70 years. Bridgestone also opened up a $ 6 million test track adjacent to the Advanced Tire Production Center to support passenger tire testing and development. The test track opened in autumn 2022. Bridgestone has invested more than $ 125 million in its Akron operations since 2012, when the company opened the Bridgestone Americas Technology Center. Bridgestone has major manufacturing plants in many countries around

663-452: The 2007 season to the 2010 Formula One season . On 2 November 2009, Bridgestone announced that they would not be renewing their contract to supply tires to Formula One teams after 2010. The company said it was "addressing the impact of the continuing evolution of the business environment". Pirelli announced in June 2010 that it would serve as sole supplier for tires in the 2011 season . In

714-506: The 2012 and 2013 seasons Aprilia's ART machinery stood out as the best CRT bikes. In 2015 , Aprilia partnered with Gresini Racing as a factory-supported independent team. The team competed as the Aprilia Racing Team Gresini with an all-new 1000cc V4 -engined RS-GP . In 2022 , Aprilia entered the series as an official factory team for the first time since 2004. Their previously supported Gresini Racing team returned to

765-557: The 1980s and 1990s, Bridgestone provided tires to the Le Mans sport prototypes of teams Nismo and TOM's , backed by Japanese automobile manufacturers Nissan and Toyota respectively. In the early 1990s, Bridgestone expanded to Mercedes-AMG , which entered the DTM and later Le Mans and the FIA GT Championship . The brand left international sports car racing in 2000, but remains as one of

816-473: The 1980s by developing race tires for feeder series like Formula 2 , Formula 3 , Formula Ford , Formula Opel Lotus and karting . In order to increase the Firestone subsidiary's brand awareness, Bridgestone Firestone NAH Ltd , re–entered the Firestone brand into CART open-wheel racing in 1995 to challenge Goodyear . The tires proved better and Goodyear left the series for 2000. Since then, Firestone has been

867-473: The Bridgestone Corporation. BSA and its subsidiaries develop, manufacture and market Bridgestone, Firestone, and associate brand tires for consumers, automotive and commercial vehicle original equipment manufacturers, and those in the agricultural, forestry and mining industries. The companies also produce air springs, roofing materials, synthetic rubber and industrial fibers and textiles and operate

918-632: The Bridgestone Museum. Sales surpassed ten billion yen in 1953, placing Bridgestone at the top of the tire industry in Japan, and celebrations were held to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the company's foundation in Kurume. The sale of nylon tires was started in 1959, and work forged ahead with the construction of the new Tokyo plant, which was opened in 1960, in order to cope with the fast–expanding market for motorization. The company issued stock shares and

969-566: The CEO Yoichiro Kaizaki, aiming to improve Bridgestone's name value in the European market which was greatly inferior compared with their archrivals, Michelin . Though it was scheduled to enter the championship in the 1998 season at first, this was brought forward to 1997 because the engineering section led by Hirohide Hamashima had quickly advanced development. Thus, Hiroshi Yasukawa, the general manager of Motorsport Department, also made

1020-543: The Olympics and Paralympics when they expire at the end of 2024. In 2010, Bridgestone acquired the naming rights to the home venue of the NHL's Nashville Predators calling it Bridgestone Arena . They were also the title sponsor for Copa Libertadores , the top competition for South American club football , from 2013 to 2017, and Copa Sudamericana from 2011 to 2013. The predecessors of Bridgestone began making diversified products in

1071-648: The Tokyo plant in 1962 to house the new Technical Centre, and a progressive system of research and development was established. On the product front, 1967 saw the sale of the company's first ever radial tire , the RD10. Bridgestone's first overseas plant since the end of the war was opened in Singapore in 1965, and production was also commenced in Thailand in 1969. The 1960s for Bridgestone was an era of overseas expansion that also included

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1122-466: The areas of technology, production, and sales in the early days. Eventually, improvements were achieved in quality and manufacturing processes which led to the business rapidly expanding in domestic and overseas markets. Wartime regulations were in effect throughout Japan during World War II , and tires also came under the jurisdiction of these regulations. This resulted in nearly all of the company's output being used to satisfy military demand. 1945 saw

1173-410: The best use of the experience and networks in Europe since the Bridgestone's European F2 era ( 1981 – 1984 ) and constructed logistics for Formula One at once. The first title was acquired right away in the second year, 1998 by Mika Häkkinen and McLaren – Mercedes . And Bridgestone users took five Drivers' Championship titles and five Constructors' Championship titles ( 1998 , 2001 – 2004 ) for

1224-632: The campaign to open up an advantage over Stoner, before he was taken out of the Dutch TT on the first lap by Álvaro Bautista ; Stoner won the race to eradicate the points lead. In the next race, Stoner crashed out of the German Grand Prix on the final lap and allowed Pedrosa to take his first win of the season. Stoner struggled in the next few races – despite a victory at the United States Grand Prix – with his championship challenge ended by

1275-580: The championship and reached the milestone of 100 MotoGP victories in 2012. Nine–time World Champion Valentino Rossi was 'Bridgestone Tyre Adviser' having won two MotoGP titles on Bridgestone tires in 2008 and 2009. In May 2014, Bridgestone announced they would leave Moto GP at the end of the 2015 season. Bridgestone is currently the Official Tire of the Olympic Games , but have stated they will not be renewing their worldwide partnership agreements with

1326-459: The company celebrated its 50th anniversary. At the same time, the company initiated activities to strengthen its home base that supported overseas expansion strategy with the aim of being ranked as one of the world's top three manufacturers of rubber products. New production facilities were also established in Thailand, India, Poland, China, the United States and other countries. The company changed

1377-507: The company were further reinforced after this. After the war the company started making bicycles, with the Bridgestone Cycle Company being formed in 1949. From 1952 the first complete powered bicycles were produced, with a 26cc engine. In 1958 the first 50cc Bridgestone motorcycles were manufactured, but the company's main income was from supplying tires to its rival motorcycle makers such as Honda , Suzuki and Yamaha and it

1428-540: The company. In June 2022, Bridgestone opened up its $ 21 million Advanced Tire Production Center which replaced the Firestone Advance Tire Works Plant at the original Firestone Tire and Rubber Company headquarters which opened in 1910. The new building is home of the company's racing tire production for the NTT IndyCar Series . The plant manufactures all Firestone Firehawk racing tires. It

1479-400: The end of armed conflict, but the company was devastated by the war. The Tokyo headquarters was destroyed during an aerial bombing raid, and all overseas assets were lost. The plants in Kurume and Yokohama escaped unscathed, and production was able to resume immediately after the war ended. Brushing aside the problems caused by a labour union strike that lasted for 46 days, the foundations of

1530-456: The establishment of Bridgestone Americas in the United States in 1967 to act as Bridgestone's USA representative sales branch. At the start of the period of Japan's economic stagnation, brought about by the first oil shock, the company was placing even more emphasis on establishing its own technology for the manufacture of radial tires, and it was also at this time that further domestic plants were constructed and fitted out. Its Super Filler Radial

1581-583: The founder, Shojiro Ishibashi , made the "Tabi" Socks Tire Division independent and established the Bridgestone Tire Co., Ltd. in the city of Kurume, Fukuoka Prefecture. "Bridgestone" was named after the name of the founder, Shojiro Ishibashi ( 石橋 ; lit.   ' stone bridge ' ). Foregoing dependence on European and North American technology, the Bridgestone Tire Co., Ltd. set its eyes on manufacturing tires based largely on Japanese technology. The fledgling company experienced many difficulties in

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1632-721: The grid, running under CRT regulations. However, Interwetten Paddock , Marc VDS , and Kiefer Racing were absent from the revised grid released by FIM in January 2012. Points were awarded to the top fifteen finishers. A rider had to finish the race to earn points. Bold  – Pole Italics  – Fastest Lap Light blue – Rookie Each constructor received the same number of points as their best placed rider in each race. The teams' standings were based on results obtained by regular and substitute riders; wild-card entries were ineligible. Bridgestone Bridgestone Corporation ( 株式会社ブリヂストン , Kabushiki gaisha Burijisuton )

1683-434: The largest network of commercial stores across the country, GCR's reach extends nationwide. The letters of GCR reflect the last names of the original company founders Balie Griffith, Harold Crawford and Perry Rose. In 2015, Bridgestone Americas Inc. signed a deal giving its dealers the option to install digital air calibration machines from Excel Tire Gauge Inc. in their stores. The digital air calibration machines streamline

1734-574: The main suppliers in the Super GT series. Since April 2023, Bridgestone became the main tire supplier for the Super Taikyu championship series replacing Hankook , which supplied its tires briefly until forced to exit the series due the latter's Daejeon plant fire. In 2002, Bridgestone entered the Grand Prix motorcycle racing 's main class MotoGP . From 2009 to 2015, it was the exclusive tire supplier of

1785-780: The marketing office in Moscow were sold in December 2023 as Bridgestone withdrew from the Russian market, following the Russian invasion of Ukraine . As part of reinforcement plans, the company purchased a plant in Tennessee from the Firestone Tire and Rubber Company , its first manufacturing plant in North America, and started the production of radial tires for trucks and buses in 1983. Bridgestone also has

1836-656: The name from Bridgestone Tire Co., Ltd. to Bridgestone Corporation in 1984. In 1988, Bridgestone purchased the Firestone Tire and Rubber Company of Akron, Ohio . Placing considerable financial and personnel resources into rebuilding Firestone after the purchase, Bridgestone achieved surplus annual profits for the year 1992 with BFE ( Bridgestone Firestone Europe ) and again in 1993 with BFS ( Bridgestone Firestone USA ). The Firestone Tire and Rubber Company and Bridgestone Tire Company Ltd. USA were amalgamated in 1990 and became "Bridgestone Firestone North American Holdings Ltd" . The North American subsidiary of Bridgestone Corporation

1887-548: The other teams and more fuel – 24 litres (5.3 imperial gallons) instead of 21 litres (4.6 imperial gallons) – but were subject to a factory team buying, or "claiming", their engines for €15,000, or €20,000 with the transmission. The sport's governing body received applications from sixteen new teams looking to join the MotoGP class. The following Grands Prix were scheduled to take place in 2012: The Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme released an 18-race provisional calendar on 14 September 2011. Another provisional calendar

1938-529: The period that competed with Goodyear ( 1997 – 1998 ) and Michelin ( 2001 – 2006 ). Especially, cooperation with Scuderia Ferrari and Michael Schumacher functioned well in this period. From 2008 to 2010 Bridgestone was due to be the sole tire supplier to the FIA Formula One World Championship. However, because Michelin chose to conclude its Formula One tire programme at the end of the 2006 season , all teams used Bridgestone tires from

1989-746: The region and a 32 hectare research and development centre near Rome, Italy . The company distributes more than 25 million tires a year through 17 national sales subsidiaries and 2 distributors. They directly employ over 12,000 people with Mr. Tsuda as CEO. At present there are national headquarters in the following locations: Vienna , Austria; Prague , Czech Republic; Hinnerup , Denmark; Vantaa , Finland; Fresnes , France; Bad Homburg , Germany; Athens , Greece; Budapest , Hungary; Dublin , Ireland; Milan , Italy; Moerdijk , Netherlands; Oslo , Norway; Warsaw , Poland; Alcochete , Portugal; Madrid , Spain; Sundsvall , Sweden; Spreitenbach , Switzerland; Istanbul , Turkey and Warwick , UK. Bridgestone EU runs

2040-563: The single tire provider for the successor Champ Car World Series , the IndyCar Series and its feeder series Indy NXT . Bridgestone has supplied tires in Formula One since 1997 , although the company one–off produced Formula One tires at the 1976 and 1977 Japanese Grand Prix for Japanese entrants such as Kazuyoshi Hoshino 's Heros Racing and Kojima . The Japanese company decided to supply tires for Formula One in 1995, backed–up by

2091-851: The tire inflation process by automatically inflating or deflating tires. In 2017, Bridgestone Americas consolidated many of their business units into a single building in downtown Nashville , Bridgestone Tower . Nearly 2,000 employees work in the new skyscraper, nestled between the Country Music Hall of Fame and the Schermerhorn Symphony Center . In April 2020, due to demand by essential service providers during COVID-19 pandemic in Tennessee , Bridgestone Americas announced plans to restart its North American commercial tire plants as well as its North American Firestone Industrial Products and Firestone Building Products manufacturing facilities. Bridgestone started to invest in motorsport in

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2142-500: The title with a second-place finish to Stoner in Australia, after Pedrosa had crashed out of the lead early on. The MotoGP class saw the introduction of engines with 1,000 cc (61 cu in) in capacity, with a limit of 4 cylinders and a maximum 81 mm (3.2 in) cylinder bore. In 2012 the MotoGP class saw the introduction of Claiming Rule Teams (CRT) to allow for participation by independent teams with lower budgets. CRTs were given twelve engines per rider, six more than

2193-590: The world's largest chain of automotive tire and service centers. In November 2010, ASA Automotive Systems Inc. was selected by the Consumer Tire Sales division of Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations, LLC (BATO) as the software provider for their North American consumer dealers to supply the industry's leading 'All–in–One' Point–of–Sale, Accounting and Inventory shop management software. In 2014, Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations (BATO) unveiled its newly rebranded GCR Tires & Service division. With one of

2244-498: The world, followed by Michelin , Goodyear , Continental , and Pirelli . Bridgestone Group has 181 production facilities in 24 countries as of July 2018. The history of the Bridgestone Tire Company, Ltd. , founded in 1931 by Shojiro Ishibashi in Japan. The first Bridgestone tire was produced on 9 April 1930, by the Japanese " Tabi " Socks Tire Division (actually made jika-tabi ). One year later on 1 March 1931,

2295-571: The world. As of 1 April 2011, Bridgestone has 47 tire plants, 29 tire–related plants, 19 raw materials plants, 89 diversified product plants, 4 technical centers, and 11 proving grounds globally. Some of the major plants are located in: Bridgestone Australia began as the SA Rubber Mills in 1939. In 1980 Bridgestone took over the Australian plants which were at that time operated by the Uniroyal Tyre Company . Bridgestone Australia had

2346-565: Was approved and completed. Bridgestone Australia Ltd. was delisted from the ASX on 30 May 2007. Bridgestone EU has its head office in Brussels, Belgium , and was set up in 1990 as Bridgestone/Firestone Europe SA. Before that, a representative office in Belgium set up in 1972 and sales subsidiary companies and importers in each countries were selling products imported from Japan. There are 7 production plants in

2397-589: Was later decided to cease motorcycle manufacturing. In 1952, Ishibashi founded the Bridgestone Museum of Art and located it at 10 Kyobashi 1–chome, Chuo–ku, Tokyo 104; Bridgestone Corporation's company headquarters. In 1951, Bridgestone was the first company in Japan to begin selling rayon cord tires, and a five–year project to modernize production facilities was started. This year also saw another Bridgestone building opened in Kyōbashi, Tokyo , which contained

2448-495: Was listed on the stock exchange in 1961. A new system of administration was ushered in by Shojiro Ishibashi as the chairman, and Kanichiro Ishibashi as the president. As part of the transition across to administrative reform, the Deming Plan in honor of W. Edwards Deming , which involves overall quality control activities, was adopted, and the company was awarded the prestigious Deming Prize in 1968. Also, additions were built onto

2499-557: Was placed on the market in 1978, and in 1979 the company introduced the high–performance POTENZA radial tire, from an Italian word for power. The company was actively engaged in overseas expansion activities at this time. In addition to starting up production in Indonesia and Iran in 1976, it also invested in a Taiwan tire manufacturer and purchased a tire plant and a plant for diversified products in Australia in 1980. The founder, Shojiro Ishibashi, died on 11 September 1976. On 1 March 1981,

2550-584: Was released three months later, with the Qatar Grand Prix moved forward by a week. All the bikes used Bridgestone tyres. In June 2011, the FIM announced that six teams from Moto2 – Interwetten Paddock , Forward Racing , Marc VDS , Kiefer Racing, Speed Master and BQR-Blusens (later renamed Avintia Racing ) – had been granted entries to the 2012 grid; two additional entries – Paul Bird Motorsport and Ioda Racing – announced that they had been accepted to

2601-430: Was the premier class of the 64th F.I.M. Road Racing World Championship season. Casey Stoner started the season as the defending World Champion, while Honda was the defending Manufacturers' Champion. In the premier MotoGP class, the championship battle revolved around Yamaha rider Jorge Lorenzo and Honda pairing Dani Pedrosa and defending champion Stoner. Lorenzo won four of the first six races to be held in

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