Friday testing to go ahead without Sauber

Sauber has announced that it will continue testing in the usual manner and not opt for using the Friday of a Grand Prix weekend as a test day. Part of the Friday testing agreement included being limited to ten test days a season and Sauber is not willing to compromise its development programme. The decision will come as a surprise to some as Sauber was considered one of the teams likely to opt for the Friday test session.

Peter Sauber said in a team statement: "Although this was not an easy decision, there were no doubts about it in the end. We're currently building an ultra-modern wind tunnel in Hinwil; this is a clear commitment to a forward-looking strategy. Our decision to continue free testing, rather than being limited to ten test days during the season, points in the same direction. This is the only way for us to continually optimise the development of the car in the long term."

However, the FIA has received enough applications from other teams that the Friday test session will go ahead. At least three teams needed to sign up for the scheme and although which teams have applied has not been revealed, the FIA also released a statement:

"Following the receipt of a sufficient number of team applications, a two hour test session will be run on the Friday of each event in the 2003 FIA Formula One World Championship. Teams taking advantage of the new two hour session will limit their other testing to 10 days during the Formula One season (March-October 2003)."