Big guns will fight shy

The test ban ends at the beginning of December and, although its plans will not be rubber stamped until next week, McLaren is expected to test twice at Jerez (4-7th and 18-21st) and once at Barcelona (12-15th).

Ferrari has yet to plan any testing before the end of the year. If it does run, however, test driver Luca Badoer will do the work as both Michael Schumacher and Rubens Barrichello have been granted extended vacations after bringing both the drivers' and constructors' titles to Maranello.

Schumacher also has the spectre of surgery hanging over him to remove metal pins from the leg he broke at Silverstone last year. He has yet to disclose exactly when this will take place, but it will depend on when Ferrari's 2001 challenger is ready, as he is expected to need six weeks to recover.

One eagerly-awaited clash that should happen in December, though, is Benetton's Jenson Button going head-to-head with his BMW Williams replacement Juan-Pablo Montoya. Both teams are scheduled to test for three days at Jerez, beginning on December 5.