All teams except Spyker are heading to Malaysia for a three day test session next week. The test session was meant as a bridge because of the large three week gap between races 1 and 2 of the season.
Team boss Mike Gascoyne has explained why Spyker have chosen to buck the trend and head home. “With the upgrades we’re planning to introduce for the secnd race, it would not be possible to get the onto the car in time for the Sepang test,” he began. “The race cars will be shipping direct to Malaysia from Australia, but the team will be flat out modifying the cars in time for the Grand Prix.
“Participating in the Malaysia test would stretch our resources; we’re a small team and we have to pay careful attention to how we allocate the budget. We would only run one car without the modifications for three days, but we know the track, we know the tyres and with the extra running time afforded by the Friday practice days now, we will get an opportunity to run the new bodywork before the racing starts. Missing the test will not put us at a disadvantage.”
Gascoyne’s work show how carefully the smaller teams need to manage their budget and is a reminder of how expensive a Formula 1 car is.
