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Domenicali wants Ferrari test

ESPN Staff
May 28, 2013 « Tyre test 'not helpful' - Fernley | Massa crash caused by suspension failure »
Stefano Domenicali: "Ferrari has always been very pushy to try to do in-season testing on the track" © Getty Images
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Stefano Domenicali says the main reason Ferrari has protested against Mercedes' tyre test with Pirelli is because it wants to be able to test itself.

The furore over the Mercedes test erupted on Sunday morning in Monaco, with Red Bull and Ferrari protesting to the stewards. The matter has been referred to the FIA who may bring it in front of an International Tribunal, but Domenicali said the fact that Mercedes had tested could mean there is a loophole to be exploited and he wants Ferrari to be able to do the same.

"Just to make the story very short we lodged a protest because it's basically the only way to understand the clarification of the regulation where you have a doubt," Domenicali said. "For us it was not in doubt that it was the 2013 car and - as written in the regulation 22.1 - it's not possible to use the previous two year's cars during the season for any kind of activity.

"Therefore that was our opinion and we just want to know if this is possible. If this is possible we will be the first to raise our arms to make sure we can do the same because as you know Ferrari has always been very pushy to try to do in-season testing on the track and this is the reason why we wanted to understand the situation, no more than that.

"If the decision will be opposite of what we believe is the right interpretation on our side then we will need to react immediately and ask for this to happen, I would say yes we would want to do something."

The regulation of which Domenicali talks - 22.1 in the 2013 Sporting Regulations - states: 'Track testing shall be considered any track running time not part of an Event undertaken by a competitor entered in the Championship, using cars which conform substantially with the current Formula One Technical Regulations in addition to those from the previous or subsequent year. The only exception is that each competitor is permitted up to eight promotional events, carried out using tyres provided specifically for this purpose by the appointed supplier, to a maximum distance of 100kms per event.'

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