How do formula one test tracks work. do teams have to pay to use them. is ferrari the only one with their own?

Question

i am trying to understand formula one and am confused about test tracks. is the test driver's job just to test the cars and feed comments into its development, or does the test driver do more. does ferrari have an advantage over all of the other teams in that it has its own test track and so does not have to pay. do teams have to pay to use test tracks. does anyone else have their own test tracks. what stops teams clubbing together to build their own test track

Answer 1

Every new bit the factory produces has to be tested on the track for performance and reliability.

That is the job of the test driver.

He's also there in case a driver fails to compete in a GP for whatever reason(illness, injury etc) as a reserve driver.

Running an F1 team and running a race track are two different businesses.

And since teams need to test their cars in a variety of conditions no one track can  be as useful  as testing on different tracks.

So it's risk-free and more productive to them than building one of their own.

Also teams are based on different countries and how close the factory is to the race track matters a lot.

Ferrari do own a track but they're also a sports car manufacturer and they use the track to test performance of their superfast road cars also.

Answer 2

The drivers main job is just to report problems etc. But a good driver is listened to by the engineers. Bar Ferrari others do have to pay for usage of the test track. To build a test track would cost a considerable amount of money, so its cheaper to rent someone Else's.