Bahrain pre-season test plan scrapped

Lewis Hamilton of Great Britain and Mercedes GP leads during the Bahrain Formula One Grand Prix at Bahrain International Circuit on April 19, 2015
© Getty Images
The push to have pre-season testing take place in Bahrain early next year fails.

The push to have pre-season testing take place in Bahrain early next year has failed.

Two tests in Barcelona had been provisionally scheduled, but Pirelli - strongly supported by Mercedes - were pushing for at least one outing in the guaranteed warmer and drier climes of Bahrain.

"The way the regulations are written, to test outside of Europe would require the unanimous consent of all of the teams and that doesn't exist," Red Bull's Christian Horner said in Austin.

Indeed, the teams got together with Bernie Ecclestone on Friday and agreed that the Bahrain issue was now off the table.

As a compromise, Bahrain has been pencilled in as the first venue for 'in-season' testing once the 2017 season gets underway.

"Thankfully common sense has prevailed," said Horner.

Auto Motor und Sport claims that costs were not the only point of contention.

Red Bull reportedly want to run what is rumoured to be a particularly long-wheelbased 2017 car on the ideal Barcelona layout, while Mercedes favoured Bahrain amid rumours of a special new cooling system.

Head coach Diego Pablo Simeone of Atletico de Madrid claps during the UEFA Champions League Group C match between Club Atletico de Madrid and FC Astana at Vicente Calderon stadium on October 21, 2015 in Madrid, Spain.
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