Formula 1 teams have agreed that Barcelona will continue to host 2017's pre-season test sessions, despite Mercedes, Ferrari and Pirelli pushing for at least one of the two to be held in Bahrain.
With major changes to the tyres next season, Pirelli had hoped to test in warmer climates with Bahrain the preferred location – a move supported by both Mercedes and Ferrari.
However a number of teams, most notably Red Bull, were opposed to moving testing away from Barcelona as they claimed it would cost up to half a million dollars per team to organise.
On the Friday of the United States Grand Prix, team bosses met with Bernie Ecclestone to discuss the matter, with Red Bull's Christian Horner confirming that Barcelona would remain host to both tests, whilst Bahrain will host the first in-season test of the season.
"We have had numerous debates about this and we had a meeting earlier today with Bernie about this," said Horner.
"There was even a vote with the FIA earlier this week and with the way the regulations are currently written, to test outside of Europe, would require the unanimous consent of all the teams and that doesn't exist.
"It has been agreed that we will test in Barcelona pre-season and in order to find a compromise for assisting Pirelli after the Bahrain race, the first of the in-season tests will be in Bahrain."
The first four-day test will take place on February 27, followed by a second on March 7.
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