McLaren and Force India will not participate in the Bahrain tire tests

The FIA had announced in its statement that among the teams participating in the Bahrain tire tests would be McLaren and Force India. The information has been denied. While Force India quickly indicated that its non-participation was due to time and logistical issues in transporting all the necessary equipment to the Sakhir circuit, McLaren has not yet provided any explanation. “We will not be participating in the tests in Bahrain next week,” a spokesperson for the Woking team simply stated to the site Sky Sports.

Important trials

For Pirelli, these tests are crucial. Indeed, the Italian manufacturer recently stated in the columns of *Autosport* that if nothing was done to test its tires, the 2014 tires would be on a conservative track and would not meet the FIA’s expectations in terms of pit stops. The company had also attempted to enforce two mandatory stops, a proposal that was ultimately rejected by the leading teams within the Strategy Group (Ferrari, Williams, Red Bull, Mercedes, Lotus, and McLaren).

These “improvised” tests also take place in the very particular context of the 2013 Brazilian Grand Prix, which, due to weather conditions, did not allow teams to test the 2014 tires as planned. To avoid disadvantaging the participants, all data collected by Pirelli will be made available to the teams that could not take part.

Will therefore be present at the private session in Bahrain, and with 2013 single-seaters, as authorized by the FIA: Red Bull, Ferrari, Mercedes, and Toro Rosso. On the other hand, Williams, Caterham, Sauber, Lotus, and Marussia had already been announced as absent, officially for budgetary reasons.