McLaren: Testing at new F1 tracks would send “wrong sign”
McLaren Formula 1 boss Andreas Seidl has welcomed the ban on testing at new Formula 1 venues, saying it would have sent the wrong sign.
The FIA sporting regulations allow teams to run 2018 cars without limitation, as long as the governing body is kept informed, and several had been planning to visit Portimao, Imola or Mugello before the newly-scheduled races there.
Prior to the start of the season and before the calendar additions were confirmed, Ferrari was able to run a 2018 car at its own Mugello venue, while AlphaTauri went to Imola, where it combined extensive 2018 running with a filming day with the current car.
In recent weeks, teams have been negotiating with the circuits for track availability, but that planning has now been stopped thanks to an initiative pushed through by F1 boss Ross Brawn, on the grounds of costs and the fact that the teams taking part would have gained a competitive advantage.
The teams agreed at the recent Strategy Group and F1 Commission meetings that they would not visit the new tracks before the races there, and a rule change is being approved by the FIA World Motor Sport Council.
McLaren was not able to conducts tests at new venues before the start of the 2020 season because it didn’t have an older car available, available but Seidl conceded that the team might have been forced into finding a suitable machine.
“I’m very happy with this outcome,” said Seidl when asked by Motorsport.com. “And yes, not a secret that we were also pushing for that, because especially when you think about going to new tracks I think it puts you at a competitive disadvantage if other people can go testing.
"I think even we considered taking out one of our own cars and going there.”
Seidl said the extra travel for personnel was another consideration.
“It would definitely have been absolutely the wrong sign also to the public and towards our people as well in the times of COVID, in the times of where we should avoid any unnecessary trouble for our people in order to protect them.
“I think it would have been completely the wrong sign also to do these tests. And therefore, I'm very happy with the outcome. And it was good to see that in the end, all teams agreed on this, which is not always the case.”
Mercedes ran a 2018 W09 at Silverstone to get its drivers back up to speed before the start of the season, but team boss Toto Wolff agreed the ban was a good move.
“We would have taken the 2018 car to some of the tracks,” he said when asked by Motorsport.com. “We were planning to go to Portimao, but I think that it’s not the right call.
"I think we’re all looking at saving costs with the prize fund being considerably down, and in that respect, if nobody gains an advantage by not going testing, it’s the right thing to do.”
Mercedes ran a two-year old car for George Russell and Nicholas Latifi at the Algarve circuit in 2017, but Wolff played down the value of any knowledge gained.
“We went to Portimao quite a few times, but I don’t think you can extract any performance topics from a car that back then was two years old.”
Gunther Steiner, whose Haas team does not have a running 2018 car that it could call upon, also stressed the cost issue.
“I mean it’s the right thing to do, especially in the financial circumstances most of the teams are in,” he said. “We don’t need to exaggerate in the moment.”
Related video
Wolff: Engine mode ban can make Mercedes faster in race
Tost: F1's constructor definition is “out of date”
The inevitable consequence of the Liberty F1 popularity boom
Sell out crowds at Formula 1 races are the norm rather than the exception these days, as grand prix racing is enjoying a massive boom under Liberty Media. But the Spanish Grand Prix highlighted numerous issues some circuits may face as demand for F1 soars
The danger for Red Bull in its Barcelona F1 team orders choice
OPINION: Red Bull walked into a team orders saga on its way to taking a Spanish Grand Prix 1-2 last weekend, where it took the lead of the 2022 Formula 1 world championships for the first time. But its decisions have added an element of risk to later races.
Why Mercedes' Spanish GP gains aren't as grand as they seemed
Mercedes' strong showing in last weekend's Spanish Grand Prix prompted team boss Toto Wolff to say it had halved its deficit to the leaders and its Formula 1 title chances were back on after a rocky start to the 2022 campaign. But a closer inspection of the team's performance suggests its gains aren't as grand as they first appeared
What's next for the Green Red Bull controversy?
From the 'pink Mercedes' to the 'Green Red Bull', the Silverstone-based team has received suspicious glares from up and down the Formula 1 paddock over its car design exploits. But after being cleared by the FIA over its Spanish Grand Prix updates amid a backdrop of cries of foul play, what's next in this saga?
Spanish Grand Prix Driver Ratings 2022
In an unusually hectic Formula 1 Spanish Grand Prix, Charles Leclerc was denied a dominant performance by his Ferrari engine letting go which allowed Max Verstappen to pick up the pieces. But numerous flashpoints kept the race twisting and turning throughout, with one perfect score from an emerging contender
How Verstappen overcame his and Red Bull’s errors to win in Spain
Charles Leclerc’s Ferrari engine disaster offered an open goal for Max Verstappen and Red Bull to strike, but the reigning Formula 1 world champion still had to solve multiple errors and profit from a begrudged assist from team-mate Sergio Perez, which created an unexpectedly eventful Spanish Grand Prix
Why Red Bull can win a Spanish GP that looked perfect for Ferrari
Formula 1's return to Spain on Friday ended with Ferrari leading the way from Mercedes, while Red Bull could only manage third fastest overall courtesy of Max Verstappen. But its chances of victory are far from remote with a deeper dig into the times despite Ferrari's strong start...
The key aspects of Porsche and Audi's planned F1 entries
The VW Group’s German superpowers of sportscar racing have all but confirmed they are coming to F1 when the next set of engine rules come into force in 2026. Here's why both manufacturers are all set to take the plunge, and crucially how it might work