De la Rosa slams 'young driver test' format
Global Motorsport Media
Pedro de la Rosa has slammed the format of this week's 'young driver test' in Abu Dhabi, saying it is not fair experienced drivers are left in the cold as the sport looks to control its costs.
"It makes perfect sense to me to limit and control tests in order to contain costs," said the long time McLaren reserve driver in his latest formulasantander.com column.
"But come on, limiting them to three days a season exclusively for young drivers seems an exaggeration and an aberration for a sport which should be the prime example of competitiveness and innovation in the world of motor racing competition," the 40-year-old Spaniard said.
He said it is ridiculous that a 'young driver' like Toro Rosso's Jaime Alguersuari is excluded at the age of 21 because he has contested more than two Grands Prix.
At the same time there are drivers like 30-year-old Gary Paffett "who continue to be young" according to the definition of the eligible drivers, de la Rosa marvelled.
And yet he, in a more senior role than Paffett at McLaren, is not allowed to practice.
"Can you imagine David Ferrer having to play a Davis Cup final as a substitute for an injured Rafael Nadal without having practised for six months?" de la Rosa wondered.
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