30 day limit set to stay in 2006?
Formula One testing limits are set to continue next season with minor changes, according to Honda Racing Development vice-president Otmar Szafnauer. All the teams except world champions Ferrari agreed to introduce a 30-day limit to testing for this season with the aim of reducing costs and preventing spending from spiralling out of control.
It had been suggested that Honda, who own 45 percent of BAR, were keen to pull the British-based team out of the agreement because they felt it was limiting their chances of success.
"I have not personally worked on the testing agreement but I have seen the e-mails going back and forth and I don`t think we are pushing to get out of the agreement," said Szafnauer. "I think next year`s testing agreement will be something different to what it was this year because we have learned from it so we are just in conversation as to what changes should be made."
The current problem is thought to be in the detail of the agreement, in which teams are allowed to run two cars for each full day of testing but some have taken three cars or more to maximise running.
BAR is one of the teams who have used that tactic and have therefore been able to run almost continuously as, although they are only allowed two cars on track at a time, they have been able to send one car out as soon as another comes in.
Some of the teams claim this is against the spirit of the agreement because the requirement of taking extra cars to each test day brings costs back up to higher levels.
Szafnauer suggested the 30 days of testing will remain in place but said that Honda and BAR are pushing to keep the option of taking as many cars as they want to each test day next year.

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