F1: Abu Dhabi To Host Young Driver Test

Formula 1

F1: Abu Dhabi To Host Young Driver Test

The young driver test is the only official opportunity for F1 cars to run between the final Grand Prix and the end of the year...

Adam Cooper | http://www.speedtv.com | Posted May 09, 2010 Barcelona (ESP)

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The F1 teams are close to finalizing an agreement to run the winter young driver test session in Abu Dhabi, immediately after the final Grand Prix of the 2010 season.

The young driver test is the only official opportunity for F1 cars to run before the end of the year, and it is enshrined in the FIA Sporting Regulations. Last year it took place at Jerez in the first week of December.

The consensus among the teams is that it would be better to stay in Abu Dhabi after the GP and run the test on Tuesday to Thursday. Not only will all the equipment and personnel be on site, it would also give the young drivers something to shoot at in terms of lap times.

It would also allow Bridgestone to end its F1 involvement sooner rather than later, rather than go through the expense of supplying a test in Spain some weeks later.

Abu Dhabi boss Richard Cregan told SPEEDtv.com: “If the teams and FOM can come to an agreement, we would be very happy to support it.”

There is also a suggestion that the teams might stay on after the young driver session for their first test with the 2011 rubber from whoever the new supplier turns out to be. That would involve the regular drivers and give the teams a good baseline from which to start. The teams are also keen to run in warm weather.

Adam Cooper notched up his 25th season as a racing journalist in 2009. Born in London, England, he saw his first F1 race at age 10 in 1976. He began freelancing for Autosport magazine in 1985 and was on the fulltime staff from 1987-92. He then went freelance again, initially spending two years in Japan before following the 1994 Champcar series from a base in Indianapolis. He has not missed a Grand Prix since Suzuka ‘94, a run that has extended to Abu Dhabi ’09. Adam has written books about Eddie Irvine, Piers Courage and Michael Schumacher and hosts a race preview show on Sirius XM. He has written about F1 for SPEEDtv.com since 2005. Check out Adam's Blog or follow him on Twitter

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Adam Cooper

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