GP2 REAL TESTING calendar

[karimbo]

Does anyone know when the GP2 teams will be testing with the REAL cars, the ones they'll be using next year? I keep on reading that Arden will test this driver and that driver but always with the crappy 2004 model. When will all the teams come out on a same circuit to prepare their 2005 season with the 2005 car ??

[Mekola]

I think new cars will be ready next year, and there will be two, three, perhaps four collective test sessions since February/March to give the teams the ability to make a shakedown of their GP2 cars.

[DanFlag]

There has ben this report:

"Testing begins for the teams in mid-February after development drivers Allan McNish and Franck Montagny have fine-tuned the cars - all of which will have the same Dallara chassis, V8 four-litre 600 bhp Mecachrome engines and Bridgestone tyres."

[jondownunder]

Here's the notes on testing dates that I gathered from two sites, with some differences:

gp2series.com:
10th-12th February (??)
23rd-24th February
8th-9th March
29th-30th March

formula2.net:
Each team recieves first car late January
February 12th - five day test, Paul Ricard
February 23rd/24th - two day test, venue TBA
Second chassis delivered to teams in March
March 8th/9th - two day test, probably Barcelona
March 29th/30th - two day test, Paul Ricard (including "qualifying session" which determines number allocation for each teams' cars)

So I'm not sure if the first session starts on the 10th or the 12th of February, and whether it's for two days or five...

[sceptic]

The teams won't get their second car delivered until later in March, so they will only have one car when they go to Barcelona.