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Pirelli pushes on with testing plans

Pirelli wants to test its tyres in extreme conditions ahead of the new regulations in 2014 © Sutton Images

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Pirelli is pushing on with its plans for 2014 despite uncertainty over who will be Formula One's tyre supplier.

Recent speculation has linked Michelin with a return to the sport next season, with a deal between the FIA and Pirelli still yet to be struck. However, with Bernie Ecclestone claiming that no such deal is required, motorsport director Paul Hembery has confirmed Pirelli is continuing with an extensive testing programme ahead of the major change in regulations for next season.

"We'll do some wet testing at Paul Ricard at the end of September," Hembery is quoted by Sporting Life. "We want to still do something at the end of the season, to stay on in Brazil (in November) if we can. We need to find a way of doing it, and we will also go to Abu Dhabi or Bahrain in December. The teams are obviously trying to finalise their pre-season test schedule, and from what we understand it is almost certain we're going to have a test in a warm country."

On where that pre-season test would take place, Hembery said Pirelli would prefer it to be held in Bahrain.

"It's not known yet whether it's Dubai, Abu Dhabi or Bahrain. If we take out any political comment regarding Bahrain and look at what would be better for us from our point of view then Bahrain would be ideal. That would allow us to get an understanding of what the new car is going to be like at one of the more extreme circuits in extreme heat, but all that is still being defined."