The FIA have amended their rules to allow new drivers who come into the sport mid-season a chance to test before they race.
This season’s in-season testing ban has meant that several drivers have had to make their F1 debuts with very little chance to try the cars our prior to race weekends. A case in point is Toro Rosso’s Jaime Alguersuari who replaced Sebastien Bourdais just before the Hungarian Grand Prix and who had only had a couple of straight line tests prior to his debut.
The new FIA rules will allow any driver who has not race in F1 in two season to test the current car for one day, two weeks either side of their first race.
However the test may not take place on a circuit which is hosting an F1 race in the current season. If the team subsequently decides not to let the driver race, the team will be penalised by allowing them one less pre-season track test day in the following year.
