De la Rosa would like more private tests

Pedro de la Rosa held the role of test and reserve driver at McLaren for several years – from 2003 to 2009 – before returning to F1 with Sauber in 2010. He was eventually dropped by the Swiss team during the season and has since returned to being the test and reserve driver for the McLaren team since the beginning of the season.

But given his history in Formula 1 – 86 Grand Prix contested – he cannot participate in the young driver tests, as one must have competed in fewer than two F1 Grand Prix in their career. As a reserve driver, he is likely to be chosen by the McLaren team if Lewis Hamilton or Jenson Button is unable to race in a Grand Prix, but he believes that the current system does not allow him to be sufficiently prepared in case that happens.

The reserve drivers are those who must replace the main drivers, but they are also not allowed to take part in testing a F1 car during the season, except via a simulator. And all this under the guise of “cost reduction” and a desire to provide opportunities to “young drivers” (ONLY three days). You have probably understood that there are drivers who are thirty years old but have not competed in more than two Grand Prix in their entire careers and thus continue to be considered “young” (this is notably the case for Gary Paffet who drives with McLaren in Abu Dhabi), Pedro de la Rosa shared in his editorial column for the website formulasantander.com.

The McLaren driver understands that these restrictions have been implemented to prevent unrestricted testing as was the case before. However, he believes that the restrictions in place are too significant and that a middle ground should be found.

I understand very well that in the main category of motorsport, you could conduct tests in a limited and controlled manner to avoid increasing costs, as was the case a few years ago when tests were not limited and each week after a Grand Prix, we would test for two or three days with two single-seaters.

I fully understand the limitation and restrictions of testing in order to control costs, but still, limiting testing to only three days per season exclusively for “young drivers” seems to me to be an exaggeration and an aberration for a sport that should be the leading example of competitiveness and innovation in the world of motor racing.

The Spanish driver believes that the teams should agree on a certain number of private test sessions—in groups to be able to control things. He thinks there should be more sessions than currently—there are four pre-season test sessions, three in 2012 plus one during the season, and three test days for young drivers.

The teams must very quickly establish and agree among themselves on a limited schedule of private testing. For example, why not have a limit of 8 test sessions (three days each) per season, for which the teams could choose who they want to run, young drivers, old drivers, reserve drivers, or the regular ones?

Pedro de la Rosa also believes that the concept of “young drivers” is not correct. A driver who has raced more than two Grand Prix can still be considered a young driver according to him.

« It doesn’t mean anything to me that a “young driver” is considered someone who hasn’t participated in more than two Grand Prix in their entire career. For example, Jaime Alguersuari is only 22 years old, and he isn’t considered a young driver and therefore cannot participate in these tests in Abu Dhabi. »

The hardest part for him, as a reserve driver, is not having the opportunity to test the car he might have to drive if one of the regular drivers cannot participate in a Grand Prix.

«But what is worse in my opinion is that reserve drivers, regardless of their age, who like me travel all year round around the world with their teams, and who every two weeks sit like a substitute goalkeeper waiting for an opportunity, cannot be allowed to perform tests during the three miserable days with the “young drivers” to give us the chance to get back in shape to be ready in case we are needed at the next race in Brazil, for example.»

Several drivers or perhaps future F1 drivers, such as Valtteri Bottas, would like more testing in Formula 1 – ideas have emerged, such as setting up an additional test session exclusively for young drivers, but none have ultimately been approved by the governing bodies. In 2012, the situation will be the same as in /f1/actualite/11347-le-calendrier-des-essais-pour-la-saison-2012.html – four private test sessions plus one for young drivers, although the distribution of private sessions will be slightly different for 2012, as you can see with the calendar of private tests for 2012.

This is a debate that keeps resurfacing for several months, but for the moment things don’t seem ready to change despite the increasingly numerous stances taken by some drivers, like de la Rosa.