FEBRUARY 18, 2002

Testing in 2002

THE Formula 1 teams agreed in October at Suzuka that they would institute their own testing regulations for 2002 as the FIA decided that it was no longer going to be responsible for policing testing. At the time no-one gave details of what those restrictions would be. It has now emerged that testing will once again not be allowed in the week before each Grand Prix, except 50km maximum shakedown runs. There will once again be a complete ban on all testing in the month of August. This was judged to be a good idea by most teams as it gave the race personnel the chance to have a rest in the middle of a gruelling season and gave those with families the chance to spend some time with their children during the traditional school holidays.

At the end of the season testing will be banned for six weeks (between October 14 and November 25). There will then be three weeks in which testing is allowed before the ban comes back into force on December 16 so that the teams are able to take a break over the Christmas period. Testing will then resume again on or about January 6, 2003.

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