54aca10c8dad2f635f9ccbf9f549bd9077f95e79

Pirelli Propose Pre-Season Testing in Spain & Bahrain

10:20, 14 Mar 2018

byNicolás Quarles van Ufford

Tyre manufacturer Pirelli thinks that the Formula One will be better off by testing both in Barcelona and in Bahrain in pre-season, saying the weather conditions are more consistent in the Middle East in that time of the year.

Mario Isola, sporting director of Pirelli, realises that Bahrain doesn't offer a variety of weather conditions for the teams to test on, so he proposes to have two seperate tests on both locations. The last time testing was held outside of Barcelona was in 2014, when pre-season took place in Bahrain.

“In Bahrain we know that we have weather conditions that are more consistent,” Isola told Crash.net

“We know that if we go to Bahrain it is very difficult to find the rain, very difficult to find a temperature that is not in the range of 25-30 degrees. In this respect, Bahrain for tyre testing is more representative."

“On the other side, Barcelona is more complete. The circuit layout is more complete. Bahrain is all about braking and traction, you don’t have a lot of high speed corners, while in Barcelona you have a bit of everything, so there are pluses and minuses if you got to Bahrain and if you go to Barcelona.”

This is exactly why the Italian suggests a combination of the two locations, so teams can get as much data as possible to prepare for the season.

“That is why there were some discussions about that. It makes sense to have four days in Bahrain and four days in Barcelona.

“Ideally in the opposite order because you fly in this direction you must first come to Barcelona.

“If you do both obviously you reduce the minus and you have plus. You must consider the logistical implications but this is something that is feasible.”