HRT confirms it will not participate in second pre-season test at Barcelona – Formula 1 news
Hispania Racing Team have confirmed that their 2012 challenger will not be ready in time for the second pre-season test in Barcelona.
The team missed out the first pre-season test at Jerez and were hoping to unveil their new car at Barcelona, but as it seems the team will require more time to develop their car and now are hoping to participate in the third pre-season at Catalunya.
HRT are the only team to have failed their crash tests and that is another reason they require more time to develop the car. The FIA made crash tests compulsory for all teams before they can be allowed to race in 2012. A move to ensure more safety in the
sport, none of the other teams so far has had any issues with the crash tests.
HRT did however participated with the F111 in the first test to give Pedro de la Rosa a run and they could have done the same at Barcelona but the management decided not to take part at all in the test.
Mercedes are in line to unveil their latest W03 on February 21, 2012, the same day of the second pre-season test. Red Bull technical director Adrian Newey has said that Mercedes delay has more to do with concealing their innovation than developmental. He
said it may be something that can be easily copied and that is why they have decided to only take part in the final two tests.
Newey led to believe such a strategy as the same team under the name of Brawn GP in 2009 came up with the double blown diffuser innovation and only took part in the final two pre-season tests. Brawn GP went on to win the 2009 world title as well.
Newey would not think the same about HRT though, the team would be lucky to be fully ready before the third test, and would need the car to fire on all cylinders from the word go because there would not be much time left for them to make changes before the
season starts.
The season will begin on March 18, 2012 with the Australian Grand Prix.
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