Formula 1: Does the Sport Need More Testing?

With the news that Ferrari were departing from Formula One Teams Association (FOTA), the subject of testing has once again returned to the surface.

Ten years ago, the teams which could afford it spent millions on extensive testing schedules, using multiple drivers and even separate teams of mechanics to extract every tenth from their cars. 

The testing took place as often as possible, before and during the season.  But budgets were spiralling upwards, and the Federation Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) stepped in to dramatically limit the amount of testing which could be done. 

All in-season testing was banned, and the total distance permitted was cut to 15,000km.  This restricted teams to just a handful of multi-team, preseason tests at circuits approved for the task by the FIA.

Using 2011 as an example, testing is allowed at just four sessions in February and March, with a token "Young Driver Test" in November.

Certain teams were never entirely satisfied with the change, but aside from a few backroom grumblings, they didn't really take their grievances into the public domain.

Until now.

Ferrari's primary reason for leaving FOTA appeared to be that the organisation was unable to function to their liking.  Or function at all.  They decided to quit in the hope of forcing progress in the fruitless discussions.

But the team devoted a large portion of their press release on the subject to the topic of testing—the Italians were clear they believed it should once more be an important part of the sport.

"The number of days of testing must be increased so that the drivers, especially the young ones who lack experience and the teams, can be adequately prepared, as well as providing more opportunities for them to come into contact with spectators and sponsors," the statement read.

They do have a point.  Unless you count computer simulation (and I don't), there's no practical way for a team to dramatically improve their package throughout the course of a season.

Friday "practice" has become Friday testing, the only time new parts can be tried out—leading to such silliness as the flappy front wing Felipe Massa had at the Indian Grand Prix.  That could easily have been ironed out in a proper test.

Ferrari's computer simulation led them to believe they'd solved the problem, and the wing was taken to the next race in Abu Dhabi.  Where it started flapping again.

Perhaps more importantly, teams can no longer effectively develop young drivers through their testing programs.  The only option is to allow a reserve driver to do the Friday practice sessions—which handicaps one of their race drivers for the rest of the weekend.

The main problem with this is that teams are flying blind when hiring a rookie, and taking a bigger risk than they used to.  To offset that risk, they're even more inclined to take a pay-driver than they were before.

A driver with no sponsorship turns out bad—disaster.  A driver with heavy sponsor backing turns out bad—never mind, at least they paid for it.

It used to be the case that a team owner would spot a promising young talent, and invite them for a test to see how they handle an F1 car.  A test driver role was once a huge opportunity to get regular miles behind the wheel and show what you could do.  It was a springboard to a race seat.

Now?  The role of "test driver" no longer exists, replaced by "reserve driver."  If you're at a top team, that means you're a glorified spectator.  At a lower team, you'll probably get the occasional Friday practice run-out, if your sponsor pays for it.

If they pay a little more, you might get to replace one of the regular drivers in the middle of the season.

We all understand that cost-cutting is at the heart of F1's future, and that testing is an expensive business.  Few would welcome a return to the unrestricted testing battles we saw around the turn of the millennium. 

And though I'm sure they'd love it, we don't really want Ferrari doing a billion laps of Mugello every week.

But just a little bit more would be welcome.  Five three-day sessions spaced out through the season would be enough for a good amount of parts testing and driver development. 

They would also provide an opportunity for fans and sponsors to get closer to the cars—something currently limited to race weekends.

The smaller teams would struggle with the cost, but I'm sure FOTA and the FIA can come to an agreement to help them out.  A tiny cut of the TV rights revenue would be more than enough to pay for them to take a single car along.

Formula One is supposed to be, as the Ferrari statement also said, "a test bed for advanced technological research." 

And a simulator can only do so much.