Blueseventy enters the Formula1 circuit! - I spoke with their driver!

I spoke with their team driver, Dean Jackson, and he mentioned that it never occurred to him how efficient neoprene would be as a tire material for Formula 1 racing. He said the material stays warm, fast, and is the preferred gear for racers.

Here is the press release:

After 1 year of extensive research, blueseventy have partnered with high Profile Derby (UK) based Formula 0.5 Racing outfit, Diamond Racing.

It’s not typical to see a swimming company and motor racing outfit partner, but the relationship came after blueseventy stated looking for ways to use their world champion swim-skins, made illegal in the wake of FINA rule changes in late 2009.

Development manager Steve Nicholls commented on the relationship “ Initially we were going to work with a bicycle brand supplying this unique material for them to put into tyres, but then we realised that bicycle tyres were way too skinny and we wouldn’t use anywhere near enough material up. Someone tabled the idea of monster trucks, but we settled on the idea of car tyres.

Working with Professor N Prene, the innovative swim company developed a new rubber composite is based on a high heat covalent created rubber, dubbed butylene VS. The material is made in a unique process involving chemically dissolving an existing suits, and then pouring the liquid mixture into a tyre mold.

Nicholls states “initially we had some issues with the tyres coming apart, but after we removed the zippers from the suit prior to putting them into the tyre compound, that sorted itself out.

The company is thinking of developing the idea further and has already started a new company branch, named green30, named after the fact that 30% of the world is covered in land.

The green30 company holds a lot of potential, but Marketing Manager Dean Jackson has assured loyal blueseventy customers that it won’t take away from the focus on traditional avenues in performance swim and triathlon. “After all, 70% is a lot larger than 30%” said Jackson.

The new tyre compound will be used in the yet to be announced Formula 0.5 series, a lighter faster series based on the Format of Formula 1.