09/04/2007
NEWS STORY
Despite the latest shake up to the Friday format at Grands Prix, extending the sessions to ninety minutes and restricting all teams to two drivers, Bernie Ecclestone is said to be looking at further changes.
It is understood that other than established race and test drivers, the F1 supremo would like to see more rookies being introduced. Over the last couple of years a number of teams have used upcoming youngsters in Friday sessions, sometimes on a pay-per-drive basis and sometimes as a (PR) gesture. Ecclestone will fully appreciate that should teams start using upcoming local talent in Friday sessions, this would be an added incentive for countries to sign up to the 'F1 dream'.
Asked for his opinion at the weekend, Jean Todt was hardly over-enthused - can you imagine Ferrari allowing a local 'hot shot' to step in for Kimi or Felipe - and professed not to have heard of Ecclestone's proposal.
"It's the first time that I've heard of this," the Frenchman admitted, "so I'm open.
"It's the same as talking about night racing on street circuits," he continued. "If we have a specific meeting with this point on the agenda we will discuss it and if we find there is very good evidence that it is a good thing, which, honestly, at the moment, I would not support, then we can discuss. But if I see good reasons to do that then we will discuss.
"We did talk about that," added Flavio Briatore, "but we had a problem with the promoters. The promoters want to have the two racing drivers on Friday as well. Maybe there is a time to discuss it but for the moment I agree with Jean, we haven't spoken about it.
"When you have a new driver," he added, "this is the time to support this decision because it's very hard for Heikki to be driving on these new circuits. I believe Friday is very helpful for him.