The Rookie Tests at Silverstone in 2012?
The three-day test sessions for young drivers could take place at the Silverstone circuit in 2012, instead of in Abu Dhabi as in the past two years.
For the past two years, Formula 1 has organized three test days reserved for young drivers – specifically, drivers who have not raced in more than two F1 Grand Prix. These two sessions took place at the Yas Marina circuit in 2010 and 2011, but considering the 2012 season calendar, that might not be the case this year.
According to the British magazine Autosport, these three days of testing could take place at the Silverstone circuit in July, right after the British Grand Prix, which will be held on July 8. The end of the season will be long for the teams, with Singapore, Japan, South Korea, India, Abu Dhabi, the United States, and Brazil to conclude.
Faced with a schedule that is too busy for team staff, the idea of moving the rookie tests or tests for young drivers has emerged, but for now, nothing has been decided, as Robert Fernley, the deputy team principal of the Sahara Force India team, stated.
«Everyone wants these tests for young drivers to take place. But if we do them in Abu Dhabi, we put pressure on the staff because we will be working five weeks non-stop. If we do these tests at Silverstone, there could be a counter-argument: have we seen which drivers from other championships we want to test? We need a bit more discussion with the team directors to see what we do, » said Robert Fernley, as quoted by Autosport.
