The final pre-season F1 test will be run over five days at the Circuit de Catalunya instead of four as previously announced.
Each team will do a total of four days next week with some running on the 8th-11th and others on the 9th-12th.
Red Bull, McLaren, Renault, Force India, Sauber, Toro Rosso, Lotus and Virgin will all run on the first four days.
Meanwhile Ferrari, Mercedes and Williams will run on the final four days.
HRT, who are expected to run their new car for the first time, have not yet confirmed their test dates.
They did not run at all at Jerez and missed the final day of the previous test in Barcelona.
2011 F1 testing
Image © Ferrari spa/Ercole Colombo
Andy92 (@andy92)
2nd March 2011, 12:03
I guess this is just due to logistics etc?
Unless I’m glossing over something really obvious?
BasCB (@bascb)
2nd March 2011, 13:03
Logistics would not make sense. All UK based teams have to sent luggage to the same place, same time. And the mainland teams the same (Frankfurt in their case).
Rather a choice of running a bit in the weekend for at least Ferrari, and maybe having a bit time in the case of Mercedes.
eternalsunshine
2nd March 2011, 13:53
Why are there only three teams running on the final four days?
Bobtehblob
2nd March 2011, 12:16
Love this pic of Massa!
graigchq
2nd March 2011, 12:34
Not seen any real comment on whether hrt have a car at all for this year or not.. not that i really care, we could do without this particular team (that’s not to rubbish virgin or lotus who both deserve to be there) but it’s a bit worrying that nobody on any new site has commented in the slightest on whether the car exists besides some “your name here” CGI shots of “a” car which “could” be the one they “might” run at the test…
US_Peter (@us_peter)
2nd March 2011, 17:24
I’ll be surprised if they have a car. Pleasantly surprised.
wasiF1
2nd March 2011, 12:37
Not sure why they have used this process. Will it help any team who will run on the 5th day? Can anyone decide to run in all 5 days? HRT can want that.
Aetost (@aetost)
2nd March 2011, 13:00
I believe all teams are allowed 15 days of pre-season testing. HRT didn’t run on the final day of the last Barcelona test, so they may have 5 days left. They also skipped the Jerez(?) test for Pirelli filming.
Still, the only released pic of their new car was that of its steering wheel, so it may be doubtful they have the rest of it built…
Cole (@cole)
2nd March 2011, 13:05
At least driver(s) have something to hold onto…..
GeeMac (@geemac)
2nd March 2011, 13:09
…while watching the race on their sofa’s at home….
BasCB (@bascb)
2nd March 2011, 13:05
I suppose that might be possible, if HRT actually turn up with a running car.
Probably a lot of people writing they might not even be there is the only way of provoking Kolles to actually tell us weather they will before the test begins.
Ben Curly
2nd March 2011, 13:26
Well then, I think HRT might not even be there ;)
Fixy (@)
2nd March 2011, 13:46
On day 5 the track will be more rubbered-in. Maybe climate plays a role too as some teams may forecast rain and would like to try wet tyres and some others not.
wasiF1 (@wasif1)
3rd March 2011, 1:59
I thought that all teams aren’t allow to do testing more then 15,000 KM other then 15 days.
AndrewTanner (@andrewtanner)
2nd March 2011, 13:30
There’s gonna be mental amounts of rubber down for Ferrari, Mercedes and Williams!
It’s about time HRT unleashed the F111 on us.
jake
2nd March 2011, 16:51
if it rains on say day 3, will the teams who tested on day 1 and 2 be able to skip day 3 and test on 4 and 5 or are the days fixed?
SeattleChris
2nd March 2011, 18:18
I imagine the splitting of the days is to allow for more room on track. Tests used to always be segregated to separate tracks with Ferrari almost always with the least amount of other teams at the same test and never, it seemed, was it any main rivals. I actually miss that aspect of testing because when the teams were at different tracks I really didn’t know how the teams were going to stack up at all. Until everyone was at the same test anyway!
Solo (@solo)
2nd March 2011, 21:05
No excuse for HRT this time. They said they would have had a car at 3 of March at Bahrain. After the events in Bahrain they even got a whole week more time to manage to show a car for the last test. If they don’t have a car ready at 9th they will show that they just can’t swim in the F1 world.
Bäremans
3rd March 2011, 11:17
After the Bahrain test was cancelled, I thought there’s been some discussion between the teams about the new dates for the final test in Barcelona. This 5-day test period could be a compromise the teams came up with.
Re. HRT: I do hope they have a car that closes a decent bit of the gap with the established teams. But they surely don’t give that impression. Hardly any press releases or interviews, nothing on their website… way too silent for a team that needs a high profile to attract sponsors.