No chance for some teams to test before the first race of 2020

General

8 June 2020 at 15:35
  • GPblog.com

Mercedes and Ferrari will test a two year old car before the start of the new Formula 1 season. However, not all teams will opt for this. Red Bull Racing, McLaren and Renault will only be making meters in Austria for the first time.

Testing for the first race

In the first weekend of July the Austrian Grand Prix is planned. The last time Formula 1 cars were seen in action was during the winter tests in February. That's why several teams choose to test with the car from two years ago. F1 regulations prohibit testing with current cars during a season, but with special tyres and a car from two years back there is no mileage limit.

No chance for some teams

Red Bull would not have the opportunity to test because there is a Renault engine in the RB14 of two years ago, explains the Spanish branch of Motorsport.com. McLaren, on the other hand, already had a Renault engine in the car of 2018. But the engine is still in France and with the current corona rules in Great Britain it means that all travelling personnel first have to be quarantined for a fortnight.

Renault is in about the same boat as McLaren. The team has divided itself over two locations: Viry Chatillon in France and Enstone in England. The quarantine restrictions have led to the exclusion of any test.