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After reading through the comments section of an article on the Sky Sports F1 website, it got me thinking. Should in season testing be increased? The comment I read suggested that in season testing should return because it would help smaller teams in the following way:

Lower placed teams, like Caterham/Marussia/HRT (and I suppose it could be applied to slightly higher placed teams such as Williams/FI ) could sign two race drivers, and a reserve/test driver or two. So for example, FI could sign Sutil and Bianchi as their two race drivers, and sign Di Resta and Senna as reserve/test drivers. The purpose of this would be the need for drivers bringing personal sponsorship could be spread across two or three drivers, making it easier for drivers to get a seat, and for those who don't get a seat, they get given the chance to at least still be driving, as opposed to D'Ambrosio turning up to Grand Prixs but having not raced in months, or Bottas taking a crucial FP session away from one of the race drivers. Overall then, this prevents fresh talent being parachuted into a race seat and struggling, and teams always plumping for a 'pay' driver.

So what about the big teams, the Red Bulls and the McLarens? The gap between the midfield and the front runners gets bigger and bigger as a result? Not necessarily. In the case of 2011, Ferrari could have updated their car, thereby allowing the chance for Alonso a better chance at fighting for the title, and a much more exciting season as a result. In the case of 2012, Lotus or Williams could have focussed on important areas of development and brought themselves into contention for more victories later on, mixing it up with the title contenders.

Wouldn't this all be too expensive though, when just this week HRT have folded, Benetton/Renault/Lotus keeping changing their name as a result of ever changing investors, and the FIA and the teams agree costs need to be cut? Again, not a given. The money that would be spent on testing is spent on aero/CFD/windtunnel development anyway, and it would partly pay for itself thanks to the reserve/test driver idea. This would stop teams like Ferrari wasting months going down the wrong direction on windtunnel development, not to mention the money that all resulted in ultimately nothing, and as mentioned, drivers would be better prepared and developed before entering. Part of the reason Hamilton was so impressive in his debut year was because he had done so many miles before he hit the track, and so consequently was instantly on the pace, and generated a huge amount of interest in the sport, which could only be a good thing.

So what do you guys think? Obviously it would need some refining, but does it have any merit?

If it got the go ahead that teams like macca ect could become chassis suppliers then there is nothing that should stop in season testing, if the big boys are testing their engines and chassis ect throughout the year then surely their customers are going to benefit out of it as well, this whole thing pisses me off, its the pinicle of motorsport for christs sake, if you can't afford to play the game then you shouldn't be allowed to enter, budget caps and restrictions in development are only killing the sport, as we have seen, only one great idea at the begining of the season makes the racing sterile as nobody else can quickly play catch up, and by the time they spend all the money on developing it ready for next year the FIA goes and bans it or changes the rules, its the FIA that are costing more money than saving it by keep chopping and changing the rules, just let teams develop and test.

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I would like to see tests given out by your finishing position in the previous year (or something to that extent). Giving the teams further behind chance to catch up.

In season testing will always benefit the larger teams as they can test more and more productively. Honestly we have seen bigger developments throughout the season since the ban on in season testing.

I think there's an argument for allocating more in-season test days the lower down in the WDC you finish in the previous season. Which in theory would give them more time to develop and aim towards being on the pace.

However, there's still the age old problem of how they pay for it.

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Warning: The above post may contain sarcasm.

Like I said in another post somewhere, I feel testing should be brought back as it would help lower teams develop also help some new drivers get used to the cars. Ofcourse this is not gonna stop big teams, so there probably should be something like testing for 'x' number of kilometers over the winter season or in season. Something on those lines. It will definitely help everyone.

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I also like this idea. All these limitations haven't stopped the bigger teams at all. The new teams since 2010 have after 3 seasons yet to score points and we already lost one (HRT).

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F1 fan since 1989

Thats an important point. I think it would benefit smaller teams immensely if they could hire out a track for a day or two, as opposed to trying to build and develop a windtunnel.