Charles Pic testing at Barcelona
Only days before Marussia’s new car, the MR01, was set to make its first track appearance of 2012, it has been revealed that it has failed its final mandatory FIA crash test. This means Marussia will not be at the final pre-season test in Barcelona, and will instead focus on ensuring the MR01 does pass the crash test.
The same problems plagued HRT during the winter period, as they initially ran their 2011 car at the start of pre-season testing before skipping the second test altogether. However, HRT can now begin to focus solely on the season opening Australian Grand Prix at last, as their car has now completely passed the crash test.
This leaves Marussia as the only team not to do so, leaving them with an uphill struggle as the beginning of the 2012 season looms ever closer. They have now announced that they will not take part in any more pre-season testing, as they focus on making their car pass the FIA crash test.
“All cars are required to pass 18 FIA-observed tests for homologation to be granted. Despite the fact that the MR01 has passed all 17 of the preceding tests, the regulations require the car to have completed all of the tests before running commences,” Explained Marussia, in a statement issued by the team, “The team will now not take part in the final pre-season test in Barcelona later this week, and will instead focus its efforts on repeating the crash test at the end of the week.”
With this weeks test at Barcelona’s Circuit de Catalunya being the final official pre-season test before the season gets underway, it’s expected that Marussia’s new car won’t turn a wheel until FP1 at the Australian Grand Prix. That’s if it can pass the FIA crash test beforehand.
The season starts in Melbourne on March 18.
