Is Friday testing coming back?

[ghinzani]

Hurray if so!

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/81064

[ECW Dan Selby]

Yeh I jumped to this conclusion, also.

It would certainly make sense - made the Friday's quite interesting!

Selby

[broadrun96]

Sounded to me more like they would run di Resta in one of the team cars for one or more Friday sessions. Why they would want to sit either of the drivers for a session on race weekend is beyond me, but maybe a third driver can give them a new perspective on the car. I was never convinced dropping the third car saved that much money since most if not all the teams brought a third in parts anyway. Why not add the third car back in for those teams outside the top 5 or 10 to give them some more track time and see what they can develop?

[jab]

Short answer: no. This is purely down to FI. The rules haven't changed regarding Friday drivers

[Burnsie]

Formula One Sporting Regulations Article 19.1 (b)

(...) each team will be permitted to run additional drivers during P1 and P2 provided :

- the stewards are informed which cars and drivers each team intends to use in each session before the end of initial scrutineering, changes after this time may only be made with the consent of the stewards ;

- no more than two drivers are used in any one session ;

- they carry the race number of the nominated driver they replace ;

- they use the engine and tyres which are allocated to the nominated driver ;

- they are in possession of a Super Licence.

[Mixer]

I think Friday testing just should never have gone away, its got to be LOADS cheaper than testing when you have to fly the whole test team out just to test.

Especially if they have sessions especially for bottom 10 championship teams and/or rookie drivers. Surely this makes more sense?

Means you need some more engines and tyres but that is nothing compared to all the rest.

[ghinzani]

Originally Posted by Mixer

I think Friday testing just should never have gone away, its got to be LOADS cheaper than testing when you have to fly the whole test team out just to test.

Especially if they have sessions especially for bottom 10 championship teams and/or rookie drivers. Surely this makes more sense?

Means you need some more engines and tyres but that is nothing compared to all the rest.

Agreed

[RaceFreak]

I would hope so, given the new rules. No pit stops means that far more tire data is necessary to prevent late-race deterioration. This kind of stuff is track and weather related: tough to simulate in a computer.

[sizzle]

Originally Posted by RaceFreak

This kind of stuff is track and weather related: tough to simulate in a computer.

All the better.

[Dutton]

If they would bring back third car Friday practice running, then I would be much more comfortable with the in-season testing ban. As things stand, I am still a bit annoyed with it.

If the teams had a third car which could only be used in those Friday sessions, and it not be required to adhere to the regulations of the season in question, and let the teams use whichever driver they want in it in those sessions (including multiple drivers in a session, should they wish), then the in-season testing becomes far more easily swallowed.

[ghinzani]

Surely now with all these reserve drivers the time has come to reconsider Friday testing? After all what are they getting for their money??