The dates for the pre-season tests have been announced
The FIA has announced the dates for the pre-season tests that will take place in February and March 2016 at the Barcelona circuit in Spain.
With the limited number of test days available to teams throughout the year, the importance of pre-season testing has increased over the years.
In 2016, the teams will be able to take advantage of two test periods exclusively held at the Barcelona circuit in Spain. The track, well-known to drivers and teams, represents the best compromise for the technical development of the new cars and reflects the FIA’s desire to reduce costs.
Indeed, the Catalan track is renowned for being a distillation of all the technical and driving challenges of modern Formula 1, and it is often said that a car that performs well in Barcelona will work well everywhere else. Additionally, Spain’s proximity to the European bases of most teams significantly reduces the cost of transporting personnel and equipment. Exotic destinations like Abu Dhabi or Bahrain, which may have been favored in the past, have been set aside for this reason.
These two pre-season testing periods will therefore take place from **February 22nd to 25th** and from **March 1st to 4th, 2016**. The first Grand Prix of the season, in Australia on the Melbourne track, will follow on March 20th.
