Heavy race calendar prompts teams to push for less testing

Formula 1's current 21-race calendar and the prospects of increasing that schedule in the future may prompt teams to ask the FIA to consider a reduction of testing in 2019.

Teams currently launch their season with two four-day pre-season tests, conducted at Barcelona this year, followed by a couple of two-day in-season tests.

Barcelona was once again the venue for the first in-season test mid-May, while the Hungaroring will host the second two-day test at the end of July, just before F1 starts its summer break.

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The schedule appears as restricted on paper, but heavy logistics coupled with the constraints placed on staff and resources, especially during the eight days of pre-season testing, have compelled team managers to seek further relief.

The idea of limiting pre-season preparations to a single five-day period and reducing in-season testing to just one two-day session emerged at an informal meeting of team bosses recently.

The in-season test, likely to take place in May at Barcelona after the Spanish Grand Prix, would be allocated to reserve drivers per the FIA's requirements.

Pirelli's post-season tyre test scheduled at Abu Dhabi would remain on the calendar.

Team managers will likely submit their request to the governing body at Formula 1's next Strategy Group meeting that takes place next Wednesday before the British Grand Prix.

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