The Bahrain tests could be replaced by a further session in Barcelona

F1 could simply choose to remain in Barcelona for the final test session before the start of the championship, should it choose not to go to Bahrain.

After testing at the Circuit de Catalunya scheduled from today to Monday, F1 was due to move to the Arab state at the beginning of March, a week before the inaugural race.

But now the cancellation of the first of the 20 rounds of the season appears likely, and the teams will not want to give up the 4 days of testing scheduled in Sakhir.
“FOTA asked us what dates we have available in the event of having to give up Bahrain as the last test location, but we cannot speak of a formal request,” Vicenc Aguilera, new president of the consortium that manages the Circuit de Catalunya.

Aguilera said Montmelo is booked for a few days between the end of these tests and the beginning of March, “But if F1 asks us for something, we will do everything we can to accommodate it.”

FOTA, the teams' association, will meet in Barcelona today.

Filippo Ronchetti