Monday, 26th January 2009 : Bridgestone is pleased to confirm that it has signed the final contract with Dorna to be the Official Tyre Supplier for the MotoGP class to the FIM MotoGP World Championship for a three-year period commencing with the 2009 season. This follows a tender process which took place in 2008.

The agreement covers the 2009, 2010 and 2011 seasons where all MotoGP competitors will exclusively use Bridgestone tyres. Riders using Bridgestone tyres have won the past two seasons’ MotoGP. In 2007 Ducati rider Casey Stoner was the first competitor to win the title using Bridgestone tyres, whilst Yamaha rider Valentino Rossi won last season’s title.

The opening round of the 2009 FIM MotoGP World Championship will take place at the Losail circuit in Doha, Qatar on the evening of April 12th.

Carmelo Ezpeleta, Chief Executive Officer of Dorna, said:
“We’re delighted to have secured Bridgestone as sole tyre supplier for all teams in the MotoGP class of the FIM World Championship for the next three years. Bridgestone is a company with a fantastic reputation and they make an outstanding contribution to motorsport. We strongly believe that this new agreement is very positive as it will simultaneously reduce costs and increase competition in MotoGP.”

Hiroshi Yasukawa - Director of Bridgestone Motorsport, said:
“Becoming the ‘Official Tyre Supplier to the MotoGP World Championship’ is a prestigious honour for Bridgestone and we await the start of the 2009 season with great anticipation.