Pirelli and FOTA: Two Projects for More Private Testing

As we reported to you, after the British Grand Prix, teams are considering the reintroduction of private tests during the season. « We had a meeting at Silverstone about that, » revealed Sam Michael, the technical director of the Williams team. « There hasn’t been a vote yet. All they did was propose some ideas on what could potentially be done, which might include another test for young drivers during the season. It has just been discussed. There hasn’t been an agreement, a vote, or anything else. Now that it has been discussed, teams will be able to discuss it internally and think it over. We haven’t done anything more than that. »

According to Autosport, the FOTA member teams reportedly met again at the Nürburgring and agreed on three days of testing planned before the first European Grand Prix of 2012, that is, before the Turkish Grand Prix scheduled for May 6, 2012, but which is still uncertain. FOTA is therefore waiting for the final version of the calendar to define in more detail the date and especially the location of these tests, which could take place on a circuit not used during the season, such as Mugello.

However, while Pirelli agrees with the FIA and the teams for more testing during the season, it would prefer to prioritize another solution. We would love to conduct mid-season tests in proper conditions, preferably on a championship circuit. It would be ideal for us to stay on-site, as we did during the young driver tests in Abu Dhabi, because you have the race data and then the data from the changes you’ve made. From our perspective, it would be ideal no matter where it takes place.

It should be noted that, although a second test session with young drivers had been considered at one point, this idea does not appear to have been retained by the teams.