Ferrari signs new testing agreement

Formula 1 looks set to be bound by a common set of testing rules after Ferrari agreed with other top F1 teams to limit the amount of tyre testing allowed during the season. Last season, the Scuderia refused this 'gentlemen's agreement'.

The new proposal includes a limit of 36 days of testing and the nomination of a home circuit where one day's use would count only as a half in the total. Ferrari had refused to limit the use of their test track at Fiorano for the development of Bridgestone tyres. But they have now fallen into line after agreeing new testing proposals proposed by Williams and Honda. The new agreement will see the amount of testing distance cut down to around 35,000km.

Ross Brawn revealed : "Patrick Head (Williams f1) and Nick Fry(Honda) came to us with an alternative proposal which was much more in line with what we wanted," said Brawn.
"Last year the issue was that we were the only Bridgestone team, so it was difficult to find an amicable agreement. But that has obviously changed because of Williams and Toyota contributing to a tyre development programme which has improved things markedly. What the other teams would not accept last year, but have accepted this year is that Fiorano has to be accommodated, because we have made the investment in it and we are not going to give that up," added Brawn.

Ferrari boss, Jean Todt said "I have a document signed by the 11 team principals so we can say that an agreement has been made regarding testing for 2006."