F1Zone

Where: Silverstone Circuit, England
When: 17th, 18th, 19th July 2013
Open to: Drivers with no more than 2 Formula 1 race starts

This year's young driver test should actually be a proper one, after the debacle of trying to organise one in 2012 when three separate tests were held.

So, who will take part?

Red Bull usually give seat time to their best placed junior driver and that, as in 2012, is Antonio Felix da Costa. Ferrari, having usually run Jules Bianchi, will now look elsewhere. They have plenty of academy drivers but they may want to use test driver Davide Rigon and perhaps Formula 3 star Raffaele Marciello. McLaren will probably use not-so-young driver Gary Paffett and Oliver Turvey. However, with Kevin Magnussen and Stoffel Vandoorne excelling in Formula Renault 3.5, they may well find themselves in the prime seats. Lotus will probably use Davide Valsecchi and Nicolas Prost while there's no reason why testing specialists Mercedes won't opt for Sam Bird.

Sauber will probably go for Robin Frijns, while Force India could use James Rossiter or their yet to be revealed reserve driver (who apparently does exist). Williams may use Susie Wolff, while STR might give seat time to Carlos Sainz Jr. Caterham and Marussia might just take whatever money is thrown at them, but expect to see test drivers Alexander Rossi (Caterham) and Rodolfo Gonzalez (Marussia) at Silverstone.

Any idea if this is open to the public?

Silverstone has not yet said.

Ferrari confirm Alonso (31) and Massa (32) will test in this year's 'Young' Drivers' Test
http://www.f1times.co.uk/news/display/07797

tderias wrote:Ferrari confirm Alonso (31) and Massa (32) will test in this year's 'Young' Drivers' Test
http://www.f1times.co.uk/news/display/07797

This is the first time I've actually realized Massa is older than Alonso.

31 years young.

Yep, by a few months.

And it has now been confirmed as open to the public. Ticket for a day is £15.

“Now we’re being punished more, because the other teams can use their proper drivers, but we accept it for the purposes of safety."

This is the punishment they should have gotten in the first place...

Treacle wrote:

“Now we’re being punished more, because the other teams can use their proper drivers, but we accept it for the purposes of safety."

This is the punishment they should have gotten in the first place...

But they did nothing wrong (depending on how you interpret the rules)...

Joey Zyla wrote:

Treacle wrote:

“Now we’re being punished more, because the other teams can use their proper drivers, but we accept it for the purposes of safety."

This is the punishment they should have gotten in the first place...

But they did nothing wrong...

They did, but we've been through this a couple of times. Even the FIA said that they broke the rules, there is no question about that.
Actually, I would have been surprised if they just let this whole thing go knowing that it is perfectly legal to use this year's car and the proper drivers... But as long as everybody can test on the 4th day, I guess that's fine.
(Do you ever sleep, Joey? It's like what? 2 am at the USA now, right? )

I sleep, just later than most people.

donald29 wrote:Yep, by a few months.

And it has now been confirmed as open to the public. Ticket for a day is £15.

Ill be going then. So long as they've improved the disabled facilities.

So appearently there are new changes in the programme. The final decision is that there won't be a 4th day, and out of the 3 days 2 must be held with the young drivers, the current drivers are only allowed to drive on the first day.

As for the two 3-day tests for Pirelli, the teams can only bring the 2011 cars, and it seems that the 1000km distance will be divided between 2 teams (4 drivers). It has not yet been decided whether Mercedes can participate.
I don't get it. Why can't they use the 2013 cars? Surely, that would be more helpful in sorting out the problems with the tires...
And personally, I believe Mercedes should be banned from it. They alone tested 1000km with their 2013 car...

Treacle wrote:So appearently there are new changes in the programme. The final decision is that there won't be a 4th day, and out of the 3 days 2 must be held with the young drivers, the current drivers are only allowed to drive on the first day.

As for the two 3-day tests for Pirelli, the teams can only bring the 2011 cars, and it seems that the 1000km distance will be divided between 2 teams (4 drivers). It has not yet been decided whether Mercedes can participate.
I don't get it. Why can't they use the 2013 cars? Surely, that would be more helpful in sorting out the problems with the tires...
And personally, I believe Mercedes should be banned from it. They alone tested 1000km with their 2013 car...

Unless I'm very much mistaken Pirelli offered a test to the other teams as well but they rejected.

Your mistaken. Not every team was asked