Teams will sport tyres painted with green grooves during the Japanese grand prix this weekend.

Further to the existing white band which designates the softer tyre compound, the remaining three grooves will be painted green in support of the 'Make Cars Green' environmental initiative.

The green tyres, launched in Tokyo on Wednesday, have the support of FIA President Max Mosley along with high profile drivers like Kimi Raikkonen and Lewis Hamilton.

"The new Make Cars Green tyre that all the teams will be running on in Fuji is a great way to promote the campaign and a real first for formula one," said championship leader Hamilton.

Make Cars Green is an initiative pushed by the FIA to help reduce the environmental impact of cars through means such as driver training and new technologies.

These are showcased in formula one by the introduction of KERS in 2009 along with further eco-friendly innovations aimed at future seasons.

The softer compound tyre will retain its traditional single white groove, while the others will be painted green.

Source: GMM