Mercedes GP Skips First F1 Test to Further Develop Car

Mercedes GP will be skipping the first Formula 1 test at Jerez to further develop the this year's new car. It first made this announcement last year, but at the time, it looked like most teams would also skip the test. Things have changed, though. Now Mercedes GP will be the only leading team not at the Jerez test in February. Instead it will be at the second test session at Barcelona. 

"If you have half-a-year's timeframe to develop a car, then 10 days can be crucial. That was our decision. We want to test the proper car, finalized in each and every detail. That's why we need development time," said Mercedes GP chief Norbert Haug.

Mercedes seems content with not attending the Valencia test. It knows that other teams will be there, and that it is losing an opportunity to test its new car, but believes that the extra time will make the car much better. 

Skipping Jerez means that Mercedes will miss out on four of Formula 1's 12 testing days. 

Source: Autocar