US F1 granted extra testing days

The Charlotte-based outfit has already been allowed to conduct its initial pre-season tests in the United States, rather than be forced to travel to Europe to join the official runs that are taking place in Spain throughout February.

Now, as the outfit continues work on its 2010 car, the team has been told it will not face a further restriction in straight-line testing that was recently agreed by team principals.

The 2010 Sporting Regulations originally limited teams to just six straight-line test days, and discussions recently further cut this back to just four. These days can be exchanged for one day of wind-on full-scale tunnel time - which equates to four-hours of running.

Despite the latest agreement, which has yet to be put into the regulations, teams have agreed that US F1 can stick to the original six-day limit.

US F1 sporting director Peter Windsor told AUTOSPORT: "We have been given special dispensation to have six straight line/full-scale tunnel days, rather than the four to which all the other teams are limited.

"It is an example of how the FIA and the teams have gone out of their way to make us feel welcome."

The team's new car is scheduled to run for the first time in February at the Barber Motorsports Park in Alabama.