Ferrari will take Mercedes’ place at next week’s tyre test after the world champions withdrew amid budget cap concerns.
Pirelli has arranged a series of private tests with nine of the 10 teams – Williams opted out – through 2021 in order to test the new-for-2022 18-inch tyres.
Mercedes was due to participate in a wet-weather two-day tyre test next Tuesday and Wednesday at French Grand Prix venue Circuit Paul Ricard, with the venue’s sprinkler system to be put to use.
But Ferrari will now take Mercedes’ place owing to the champions being concerned that their participation would risk exceeding the budget cap.
Mercedes’ window for taking on addition costs was reduced this year in the wake of Valtteri Bottas’ car sustaining heavy damage in his Imola accident.
“We are trying to make the budget cap, which is not trivial and we couldn’t take the costs related to the tyre test and we wouldn’t have been able to send our mechanics on such a long journey,” confirmed Mercedes boss Toto Wolff.
Ferrari Team Principal Mattia Binotto confirmed that the outfit had accepted the request to take Mercedes’ place.
“We always said that 2022 is somehow our priority over 2021 and testing Pirelli tyres, helping Pirelli develop the new tyres we believe is important for us,” he said.
“Luckily enough we didn’t have a crash in Imola so eventually we have some more contingency to Mercedes today, so somehow we are happy to accept and support.”
