Banning testing is nonsense says Brawn

The cost-cutting measure has been suggested by a number of team owners, Eddie Jordan among them, and was backed by FIA President Max Mosley at Imola a fortnight ago. Mosley, however, pointed out that without the backing of the F1 Commission (comprising teams, sponsors, tyre and engine suppliers and circuit promoters as well as Mosley and Bernie Ecclestone) he is powerless to implement it.

"Cost-cutting needs splitting into two - the compulsory costs of bringing two cars to a race and then the optional costs, which are dependent on the budgets," said Brawn as Barcelona. "To ban testing is a nonsense because it's not compulsory. New cars aren't compulsory but people build them every year.

"I find it hard to accept that teams are suggesting a testing ban. If, for example, Ferrari doesn't go testing we will build another wind tunnel or employ another 100 people. I don't want to be conceited because we have the budget, but that's the way it is."

Jordan has once again questioned the value of between-race testing when engine manufacturers admit that servicing the test programme is more expensive than the racing programme, with no tangible return through media coverage or noticeable change in the performance status quo.

Teams wanting to ban testing would need a 70 percent majority (18 votes) in the F1 Commission. Dissenting voices from the top teams - Ferrari, Williams and McLaren, their respective sponsors and tyre suppliers, as well as Sauber, which would likely vote with engine supplier Ferrari, means that the necessary majority would be difficult to achieve.