Pre-season testing ahead of the 2016 season has been brought forward following the amended calendar, with the season opening Australian Grand Prix now taking place two weeks earlier.
As a result, testing will kick off in late-February rather than early-March.
Both four-day tests will be held at Spain’s Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, beginning on February 22nd, with the second test just a few days later on March 1st.
The change not only gives teams less time to prepare their cars – something that has already been raised as a concern – but the gap between the first and second test has been cut, giving less time for new parts to be manufactured for testing purposes.
The first race of the season takes place on March 20th, with freight expected to leave just a week after the final test concludes.
