Six instead of eight test days: Became once when the defect devil strikes?

(Motorsport-Total.com) – “This is the only sport in the world for which you cannot practice!” – Carlos Sainz is not very enthusiastic about the new regulation with only six instead of eight test days before the start of the Formula 1 season 2020. Other teams are also quietly criticizing the changes.

McLaren pilot Sainz takes a breath from the renewed trimming of the winter test program: “Became once you do on the track, you cannot compensate in the simulator. Just having three days before the season starts [die anderen drei hat der andere Fahrer] is crazy. You go with so many unknowns in the first race and still has to learn so much. “

Formula 1 has the number of test drives in the run-up to the season 2020 reduced by two days to give the teams compensation for the longer season. Already for the season 2016 the test days had been shortened from twelve to eight and Jerez de la Frontera was dropped as a collective test track. So now the renewed cut to just two more three days on the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya.

Weather capers and defects doubly bitter

Above all, a lost test day is now even more expensive because you lose a sixth of the test time instead of an eighth. Haas driver Romain Grosjean talks to 'Motorsport-Total.com' about his thoughts. “That's a big difference,” says the 33 year old dual citizen.

“The weather just doesn't have to play along with a label. Last year we had numerous electronics problems. That was just a backup, but it cost America mornings. We can't do that now.”

“The car has to work. We have to drive it and bring it to the Restrict under all circumstances. This is the only way we would be ready for the races.”

On the engineering side too, there is fear of the nasty surprise. Mercedes technical manager James Allison: “If we have done a good job with our designs, our work on the test bench and the preparation of the car, then we should get through our program over the six days.”

“But if we had an unexpected reliability problem, it would undo our program very quickly, so americain Melbourne would lack a lot of experience. United states of america is aware that twelve months ago we were only on the eighth and last Test day really got going, and we have made America not to repeat this experience! “

More pressure, but otherwise all the same

For Renault engine boss Marcin Budkowski, on the other hand, it doesn't make much difference whether it is six or eight test days if one Difficulties arise: “If you find a large Notify in Barcelona, ​​you only have two weeks to Melbourne. Then it plays it doesn't matter whether you have had six or eight test days. “

” Nevertheless, the [die Reduktion] puts you under pressure because you absolutely have to drive the same amount of kilometers, everyone Gain data about the Aero and the tires it wants to win. Six instead of eight days and no test drives during the season – it is important that change into man [an diesen sechs Tagen] can be done. “

Ultimately, critic Carlos Sainz also admits that at least it was a “nice challenge” to go to Melbourne with so few tests. “Nowadays the Formula 1 teams with all their simulation tools have so many options that they are more or less sorted out.”