What teams lose and gain from F1’s testing restrictions
OPINION: Formula 1 teams test significantly less than they did 20 years ago. Cost savings that result are among the benefits, but reflecting on his experiences with McLaren, Benetton and Renault in F1, our special contributor reckons there are some downsides too
Does the lack of official testing hurt the current breed of Formula 1 teams? There are two ways of looking at this question.
Back in the dark ages before mobile phones (well actually the 1980s) as teams started to grow in numbers of personnel, it became fashionable to have a separate group to concentrate on testing items and set-ups. This might consist of one or two experienced mechanics who had spent time with the race team, but it was also a good way to bring on younger mechanics to give them more experience before they too moved on to racing.
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