Formula One news

'Testing ban dangerous' - de la Rosa

McLaren test driver Pedro de la Rosa has hit out at rules limiting testing for 2009. As a result of the changed regulations, no test driver will be in the car during the season unless drafted in to cover a race seat; it is cases such as this which the Spaniard sees as potentially dangerous, claiming that the lack of practice between March and November could raise safety concerns.

"I'm hoping I can test again in the next few weeks, because to me it's very important to arrive in Melbourne with as many miles under my belt as possible," Pedro told reporters in Jerez. "Otherwise the situation for reserve drivers is ridiculous. To arrive in Melbourne with very little mileage done as well as not having a single day of testing during the season will just make test drivers rusty - if we havn't driven enough that could be a problem, as far as safety is concerned."

In previous years, testers have often driven races to deputise in cases such as ill health or injury to regular race drivers, famously Mika Salo doing so in 1999 following the leg-breaking accident of Michael Schumacher at Silverstone.

De la Rosa continued "To me, it would be fantastic if we could test more. Because I think that testing is the cheapest way to develop a car. That's my opinion. But I don't think that's going to be possible."

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