It looks like a compramise will come ahead in 2012. A 3rd practice on a friday! http://www.f1sa.com/index.php?optio...ons-at-events-from-2012&catid=1:f1&Itemid=157
More testing is needed, the fact is teams are relying on chance to see if their new updates work, they have near to no time to perfect it into the best racing car they can build. It is sad, because so many teams have the potential but no time to perfect them....
I'd say that 2 or 3 young driver days on Mondays after races (with at least a 2 week gap afterwards) wouldn't incur to many costs. Relatively obviously
Formula 1 teams have edged closer an agreement for in-season testing to return in 2012, AUTOSPORT can reveal. FIA president Jean Todt said earlier this year that he was keen for the in-season testing ban to be lifted - as he thought it ridiculous that outfits could do no proper private running once the campaign got underway. Team principals discussed the idea of testing at a meeting of the Formula One Teams' Association (FOTA) at the Nurbugring on Saturday night, with AUTOSPORT understanding that major progress was made in finding a plan that received support from everyone. Although the final details still need to be sorted, teams are close to approving the idea of a single three-day test that will take place before the start of the European season. No venue has been chosen for the test, but one possibility being looked at is Mugello. In a bid to keep costs down for teams, the plan is for them to cut back on pre-season days in exchange for the new test. Instead of the current 15 days they have, teams will instead have 12 days of running ahead of the 2012 campaign. Before further plans can be made for the test, the teams now need a final calendar to be sorted out by Bernie Ecclestone and the FIA - because they want the test to be slotted in during a three-week break. Ideally that gap will come between the first flyaway races and the beginning of the European stage of the season. McLaren team principal Martin Whitmarsh, who is chairman of FOTA, suggested that if the test goes ahead it will not necessarily be just race drivers who get running. "We do like testing," he explained. "I can see the pros and cons or a return of in-season testing, and I think it is an opportunity for some younger drivers to get mileage. I don't think we necessarily have to pound our race drivers around for several days." Well, I can guess which teams will benefit from this, hehe
It all looks more positive and there defo needs to be some of testing and it makes sence to either do it inbetween the fly aways and the european races or alternatively in the summer break! I also like the idea of the additional practise session on fridays and/or running post race on the Mondays where there is a 2 week break! Lets hope we get a little bit more to see teams eveolve their cars over the season rather than throwing things onto a car and seeing if it works in a full race weekend!
Nordschleife maybe? Realistically they'd all probably want to test at a place they had yet to go to that season.
it's the obvious solution, they could even add a day with more practice sessions, more revenues for everyone.
Mugello would be a very poor choice since it would give a clear advantage to the FIA's favourite team…
Jerez is the more realistic option, if there are no Spanish GP's next year, they could at least allow testing to take place there.
