Formula 3 has announced the postponement of the opening pre-season test of 2021, which was scheduled to take place at Jerez on February 25-26.
The Spanish Health Ministry has extended its travel ban on UK arrivals until March 2 amid the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, making it impossible for the Carlin and Hitech Grand Prix teams, as well as any UK-based drivers, to take part.
As a result, F3 has taken the decision to postpone the test to a later date, which will be confirmed in due course.
The two-day event at Jerez was the first of three planned pre-season test events ahead of the 2021 season.
Another two-day test is scheduled for Barcelona on March 16-17, before pre-season running concludes with a run in Spielberg on April 3-4.
The 2021 F3 season is not due to get underway until May at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, where the second winter test is set to take place.
However, any extension of the travel bans in place, or the establishment of fresh restrictions, could further disrupt the series’ pre-season testing plans, which were originally declared in December of last year.
Formula 1 was orignally scheduled to have pre-season testing in Barcelona this year, before deferring the event to three days of running in Bahrain on March 12-14.
Formula 2’s opening three days of winter running will also take place in Bahrain on March 9-11, before a further three days of on-track action are held in Barcelona on April 21-23.
