FORUMula1.com

[ticker]

Hi,

I have been reading the F1 web sites this week and notice that Ferrari are testing a 2008 F1 car with GP2 tires on it for 3 days this week, supposedly to give Valantino Rossi a reward for his sporting achievements, now Massa is going to drive it for a day too as he needs the practice, this will be his 3rd similar test this off-season. Schumacher has of course had a special GP2 test as well organised by his team.

Now I thought that the new, in my opinion ridiculous, rules banning the teams from private testing were implemented to reduce costs. I realise that the teams have side stepped the regs by using old cars on gp2 tyres but surely this is still an expensive excercise, hiring cars and tracks.

I am sure that all the teams with drivers who are a bit out of practice would like to give their drivers a run in an F1 car to blow away the cobwebs, but I thought this was banned?

Now what I want to know is are F1 teams banned from all private testing? Or is it just development testing with new cars?

Why don't they just allow all teams to do driver testing in previous years F1 cars during the off season as it seems the teams with the big resources are finding ways to do it anyway.

I still think it is rediculous that such a cutting edge sport such as F1 has limited testing for the cars and drivers, surely we all want the teams to have good, fast, reliable cars and drivers to make the races as exciting as possible. I want F1 to survive of course but some of this cost cutting just seams ridiculous, even formula for and kartin teams go testing as often as is necesary!

[vaptin]

Teams are banned from testing current spec cars I think, theres nothing wrong with a gp2 car.

[ticker]

I remember in the past reading testing reports on a weekly basis in Autosport, In previous years before the testing bans the teams would all be out giving the drivers as much milage as possible in the existing car before the new car was released. This no longer happens, but ferrari seem to be doing it with a 2 year old F1 Car with GP2 tyres fitted? I am sure it doesn't break the rules but just wonder why everybody is not doing it?

[headless]

Good old Ferrari

[Jabberwocky]

I remember in the past reading testing reports on a weekly basis in Autosport, In previous years before the testing bans the teams would all be out giving the drivers as much milage as possible in the existing car before the new car was released. This no longer happens, but ferrari seem to be doing it with a 2 year old F1 Car with GP2 tyres fitted? I am sure it doesn't break the rules but just wonder why everybody is not doing it?

I think it will be like Massa and Schumachers test last year it is a customers car that is being maintained by Ferrari that is being used and not Ferrari's car

[Frosty]

Teams are allowed to run cars if they are 2 or more years old. Any of them could do it just very little point in doing so.

[Gaz]

Teams are allowed to run cars if they are 2 or more years old. Any of them could do it just very little point in doing so.

they ran an 09 Ferrari tho.

the F60

[Denthúl]

Teams are allowed to run cars if they are 2 or more years old. Any of them could do it just very little point in doing so.

they ran an 09 Ferrari tho.

the F60

For a promotional event, which is permitted in the regulations.

[Jensonb]

Schumacher's a Mercedes driver, so he's not really relevant - but it's worth pointing out that testing in other series' cars is completely outside the jurisdiction of F1.

As for are Ferrari breaking the spirit of the regulations? Nah, not really. Rossi testing doesn't really achieve them much apart from PR and Massa needs to get laps in so that he's fighting fit - they're doing it in a way which has no purpose other than that, so there's no apparent harm. As for Alonso in the 09 Car, they were using the Promo tyres and there's special dispensation int he rules for that, so it's hard to find fault in that either. All the teams can do it if they want.

[cap-dude]

Teams are allowed to run cars if they are 2 or more years old. Any of them could do it just very little point in doing so.

they ran an 09 Ferrari tho.

the F60

For a promotional event, which is permitted in the regulations.

Exactly. They're only allowed to do something like 100km/h anyway. So they can make ads like this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xuEQeBdjbUI" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; and this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZSQOarWA ... re=related" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[antoniob]

As a ferrari fan I dont see what the issue is really. What they are doing is outside the regs and spending their own money. whats with the sour grapes here?

[vaptin]

should be within the regs I think you mean.

[antoniob]

should be within the regs I think you mean.

Hi Vaptin guess it depends on the angle of approach. inside the regs if the regs says its allowed. outside if its none of their beeswax. in this case its not governed by the rules and regs at all. I dont get the sour grapes issue in any event. if the other teams wish to spend money to give the drivers a few laps they free to do so. but because ferrari is doing it , its like taboo !!!! Good ol Ferrari .. Yeah !!! Good ol Ferrari !!!

[vaptin]

Hi there, I'd say its within the bounds of the regs seeing as this is somewhat related to f1, therefore the regs ought to be covering this situation in some-way. Saying outside the regs implies they've broken the regs.

[antoniob]

No angel. They are within their rights. The FIA really do not need to have control over this as well. I think the dictatorship has fallen...