FEBRUARY 16, 2012

HRT to miss Barcelona test

HRT, which ran its 2011 chassis at the first pre-season test in Jerez, will not now be present at Barcelona's second test next week with its new car.

HRT, which ran its 2011 chassis at the first pre-season test in Jerez, will not now be present at Barcelona's second test next week with its new car.

The initial plan had been to take the new chassis to the second test, which starts next Tuesday at the Circuit de Catalunya, but the schedule has been changed as a result of the car failing the mandatory crash test.

The F1 regulations now demand that a car must have passed the impact tests in order to test, as well as race.

The team is now hoping to shake down its new car at the second and final Barcelona test ahead of the season's first race in Australia on March 18.