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Formula One testing rules clarified

ESPNF1 Staff
July 16, 2010 « Kimi Raikkonen set to stay in WRC | »
Christian Horner and Martin Whitmarsh have voiced their opinions about in-season testing © Getty Images
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Formula One teams have agreed to a change in testing regulations to prevent anyone from gaining an advantage by using promotional days to try out new parts.

The in-season testing ban was enforced to prevent teams from trying out parts away from any grand prix weekend but Ferrari recently managed to complete some limiting testing under the guise of a 'filming' day to run its new blown diffuser.

It is understood that teams will now be banned during filming days from running any parts that have not been raced before with immediate effect.

Red Bull team boss Christian Horner condemned Ferrari's use of a promotional day to test updates as "naughty", saying it breached the "spirit" of the agreement.

And FOTA chairman Martin Whitmarsh suggested that other teams including Mercedes and Renault have also made "some arguable decisions" with regards to the rules about in-season testing.

"I personally did not feel there was any ambiguity, but others argued that there was," said Whitmarsh. "But that is pressure, and when people are under pressure they try and take a different view.

"It is now clear that, if you are doing a demo run, then you must use components that have been raced before - and it has to be a legitimate demo run."

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