Mercedes will take a different approach to their pre-season testing programme for 2012, after a late update this season left them confused, according to team principal Ross Brawn.
In 2011, the Anglo-German team tested a basic package in the first three pre-season tests, leaving them just one test, or three days, to get to grips and understand a major upgrade.
Brawn admits the approach was the wrong one, and something they aim to avoid for the coming tests in February.
“That is one of the things we did learn,” said Brawn about their 2011 approach. “It sounds like a good idea but some of the problems we had at the beginning with running the car…
“There was some confusion whether the package we were going to put on the car would make things better or worse and it meant effectively we were uncertain for a while about what we should do.
“So we had to wait for the new package as it was quite substantial – it was a lot of new bodywork and so on. Having said that, I think there was a need to get a car out as soon as we could because of Pirelli.
“I don’t think it is an approach [we will repeat], especially as before the season there will only be three tests now. I don’t think it is a philosophy we will follow for 2012,” he admitted.
