The F1 Sporting Regulations allow teams to use their 2018 single-seaters without limits to conduct circuit tests, as long as the FIA is informed of these tests. Thus, some structures had planned to go to Mugello, Portimão or Imola before the races that were scheduled on these circuits, which were not originally included in the 2020 calendar.
Before the official confirmation of these Grands Prix, respectively in Tuscany, Portugal and Emilia-Romagna, AlphaTauri was able to carry out a test with its 2020 single-seaters (with a run limited to 100 km on demonstration tires) and 2018 on the Imola track while Ferrari drove at Mugello with the 2018 SF71H. In recent weeks, teams have negotiated with the circuits in question to be able to run there as well, but these initiatives have been nipped in the bud.
According to the wishes of Ross Brawn, sports manager of F1, the teams finally agreed within the framework of the F1 Commission not to organize any more tests on these tracks. The arguments put forward to put in place such a restriction revolved around the question of costs and the risk of seeing certain structures benefiting from it before the Grands Prix. This regulatory change should soon be approved by the FIA World Motor Sport Council.
McLaren is one of the teams that could not carry out tests before the resumption of the 2020 season, in the absence of a 2018 single-seater available. But Andreas Seidl explains, however, that if testing had not been banned, it might have been necessary to find a car with which to organize it.
“I am very happy with this outcome”, said Seidl, when Motorsport.com asked him about limiting testing. “And yes, it’s no secret that we are also pushing in that direction because, especially when you think about going to new circuits, I think it puts you at a competitive disadvantage if others can perform tests. I even think we considered taking one of our cars and going. “
Seidl also believes that the extra travel for staff in case of testing was a problem. “It would have definitely sent the wrong signal to the public as well and to our staff too in the context of Covid, at a time when we have to avoid anything that is not necessary in order to protect our staff.”
“I think it would have been a totally wrong signal to do those tests as well. And, therefore, I’m very happy with the outcome. And, in the end, it was a good thing to see that, all the teams agree on the subject, which is not always the case. “
On the Mercedes side, a test was organized before the resumption of the season, at Silverstone, with the 2018 W09, to allow the drivers to find the rhythm and the team to prepare for the new Covid protocols. And although he admits that his team had planned to set up tests on the new circuits of the calendar, Toto Wolff, the executive director, believes that the decision taken is the right one.
“We would have brought the 2018 car to some of these tracks”, he replied to Motorsport.com. “We had planned to go to Portimão, but I believe it was not a good decision. We are all looking to reduce costs with the premiums which are much lower and, in that regard, if no one is pulling out advantage by not testing, it is the right thing to do. ”
In 2017, Mercedes organized a race on the Algarve Circuit with a 2015 W06 driven by George Russell and Nicholas Latifi. But Wolff believes that the knowledge gathered at that time won’t play a role. “We’ve been to Portimão quite a few times, but I don’t think you can extract performance elements from a car that at the time was two years old.”
As for Günther Steiner, whose Haas team does not have a 2018 car usable for testing, he insisted on the issue of costs. “I mean it’s the right thing to do, especially given the financial circumstances most teams find themselves in. We don’t need to be overdoing it right now.”
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