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[NocturnalTendencies]

One would think it would allow new drivers to become more accustomed to the F1 environment for one, but more so afford weaker teams on-track time to strengthen; thus possibly making the competition all the more. Not to mention, testing costs are probably a drop in the bucket compared to overall annual budgets.

It doesn't make sense as to why the FIA is so critical of this.

Two cents.

[darwin dali]

Costs of testing ARE substantial - and smaller teams don't have nearly the necessary cash to keep up with the bigger teams' testing if it was unlimited, thus putting them at an even greater disadvantage.
I think there needs to be a good compromise with some meaningful limit (miles or days or whatever) on testing, but testing nevertheless during the season.
Maybe stipulate that teams can't have a 'test team' solely dedicated to testing (way expensive). Possibly regulate who should participate in testing and for how much of it (include young/test drivers).

How about each team gets a certain combined allotment of wind tunnel/rig time/miles and time/miles on the track and they can decide for themselves how they want to spend their chips?

[smokin]

Continuous testing was the hallmark of the Schumacher years and Ferrari dominance. They could afford it, not many of the others could, and this kept Ferrari at the top. We've swung to the other extreme now with teams trying out updates during practice and qualifying and sometimes backing them out before the race (F-duct from various teams, McLaren's blown diffuser Mk1, Renault wing). A happy medium would be the best solution for all, keeping the costs down and returning practice to what it's intended for - fine tuning, not major changes. I don't think it will happen though. The FIA seem bent on making teams do all their development off-season.

Some cope better than others - witness McLaren's 2nd half of the season last year - but it doesn't appear to yield the best viewing for the spectator. The team that starts best, ends best.

[hypertek]

Thing is prior teams already have good ideas of what works in their designs, and the new teams are just learning them.. perhaps make rules to where nothing from prior year can be carried over.

[Jabberwocky]

I agree with the minimum testing that we have now. I would modify it slightly though.

I would say each team brings 3 cars to the race weekend, on friday the 3 cars do as many miles as they like, then on the friday night the teams nominate there 2 drivers for the weekend.

So the team gets some miles on car parts, and new drivers can get some seat time at every circuit. There would be no need for a test team.

The teams could run in different styles, would you have 3 chargers that use friday as pre qualifying and then the fastest 2 get to do the weekend.
or do you have 2 nominated drivers for the whole year and a test driver
or do you have 2 nominated drivers and a new guy

[scotty]

Just to throw an idea out there, what about scaling the number of track testing days available to each team based on their WCC position? ie the champions get 0 days, down to the team finishing in 13th getting 12 days. To avoid costs the testing days could be used on the Thursdays before a race (where possible). This way fans could conceivably get even more F1 action for their hard earned money at a race weekend!

The team that starts best, ends best.

I dare say that on balance, that has been the case throughout history on balance regardless of whether testing is allowed or not. Perhaps the only exceptions i can think of recently was in '06 where Renault fell behind Ferrari in the second half after dominating the first, and obviously Red Bull last year as well.

[EagleF1-27]

Just to throw an idea out there, what about scaling the number of track testing days available to each team based on their WCC position? ie the champions get 0 days, down to the team finishing in 13th getting 12 days. To avoid costs the testing days could be used on the Thursdays before a race (where possible). This way fans could conceivably get even more F1 action for their hard earned money at a race weekend!

The team that starts best, ends best.

I dare say that on balance, that has been the case throughout history on balance regardless of whether testing is allowed or not. Perhaps the only exceptions i can think of recently was in '06 where Renault fell behind Ferrari in the second half after dominating the first, and obviously Red Bull last year as well.

I had a similar thought, along the lines of who is leading the championship getting no testing, with teams immediately below getting maybe 100 miles of testing with teams that havent got any points or at the bottom getting 1000miles of testing. Of course as the season goes on and different teams take the lead they would either have their miles taken away or reduced. Perhaps there could even be some mileage accruement system.
Overall a system along the lines of success ballast we have seen in touring cars.
This would help the teams trying to catch up with the big players during the season. The other thing is the big teams will always find ways to get around testing by forking out lots of money on expensive simulators that the smaller teams probably cant afford.

[vaptin]

I think we really need to provide an option for teams to test young drivers. But put in harsh regulations on the technical data collected and the parts run, so the teams don't just use an experienced driver to do testing for them. Would something like a race spec car (no new parts added) run on a Monday work?

[mafiyo]

How about this.. Team in tenth position will get 10x more testing time than the team in 1st position.......?

[myownalias]

Just to throw an idea out there, what about scaling the number of track testing days available to each team based on their WCC position? ie the champions get 0 days, down to the team finishing in 13th getting 12 days. To avoid costs the testing days could be used on the Thursdays before a race (where possible). This way fans could conceivably get even more F1 action for their hard earned money at a race weekend!

That sounds like the perfect solution to me, although I doubt it will happen, the FIA are not the most flexible or organisations!

[smokin]

How about this.. Team in tenth position will get 10x more testing time than the team in 1st position.......?

Team radio: "Uh, Fernando, let Hamilton past."
Alonso: "WTF?"
Team radio: "Er, we need more testing time before the next race."

[mugen]

A limited amount of testing for all teams would be a welcome return,if only to allow teams to test development parts they may not consider using straight a way,free practice tends to be about parts they wish to race with that weekend,we have seen Mclaren struggle with their EBD,though Ferrari haven,t.
Testing with young future F1 wannabies i don,t think is a good idea,apart from getting them used to driving an F1 car,nominate the team drivers so many days at specific tracks.

[AK-86]

I have always been a fan of the touring cars system of adding weight to car for next race etc

But because testing is such a vital part of Formula One i do like the idea above regarding leading team getting next about an hour testing and grading it so that further down rankings you are the more time you have to test so Lotus, Hispania and VR get 8 hours or something along them lines on a thursday before next race.

[madbrad]

Testing bans could potentially cause danger when a replacement driver shows up for friday practise never having been in an F1 car or driven the track.

[NocturnalTendencies]

F1 is the most advanced form of motorsport, it makes perfect sense that they should allot more testing time to work out the kinks. Nice to see the ideas proposed in this thread.