22/05/2021
NEWS STORY
Mercedes has withdrawn from this week's tyre test at Paul Ricard over concern at budget cap spending.
It was following the test at Imola in April, that Lewis Hamilton confirmed he was likely to remain in F1 in 2022 and beyond, the Briton having made a rare (voluntary) appearance at the two-day test where he tried Pirelli's 18-inch (slick) tyres.
While this week's test at Paul Ricard was aimed at testing the wet version, Mercedes has confirmed that it has withdrawn.
"We are trying to make the budget cap, which is not trivial," said Toto Wolff, "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."
Instead, Ferrari, which has already run the wets at Jerez in February, will take the German team's place at the two-day test which gets underway on Tuesday.
Of course, this raises questions as to how the Italian team can afford the extra day of testing while its German rival cannot.
"At Ferrari, we always said that 2022 is somehow our priority over 2021," explained Mattia Binotto, "and testing Pirelli tyres, helping Pirelli develop the new tyres we believe is important for us.
"Luckily enough we didn't have a crash in Imola," he added, referring to Valtteri Bottas' clash with George Russell, "so eventually we have some more contingency to Mercedes today, so somehow we are happy to accept and support."
Barring any further 'mishaps', Mercedes is next scheduled to test (the slicks) at Budapest in August, along with McLaren and Ferrari.
AlphaTauri is in action at the Red Bull Ring on 6 and 7 July, while it is the turn of Red Bull, Haas and Aston Martin at Silverstone. Following the Hungaroring test, Alpine will run the wets at Magny Cours before all the teams get to run the finalised versions in Abu Dhabi.
Check out our Saturday gallery from Monaco, here.