Coulthard Backs Brno to Become F1 Test Track

Briton David Coulthard has backed the Czech circuit of Brno to become a future Formula One testing circuit after he drove his McLaren-Mercedes there last weekend.

The track was constructed 15 years ago and has become famous for motorcycling as the host of the Czech round of the MotoGP championship, which took place last month. But Coulthard believes Brno could rival circuits such as Barcelona and Silverstone as one of Grand Prix racing's testing venues after he gave it the thumbs up following a one-hour demonstration run.

"This is a good track for testing," Czech news agency CTK quoted Coulthard as saying. "There are many turns where you can drive at full speed and the track is fast and smooth.

"I think I would need about 30 laps to really find the braking point and really feel comfortable. Then I would be lapping around five or six seconds quicker. I think the last corner is perhaps the most difficult.

"You go in and you're not going that fast and you can't see where you are then you finish it and realise you could have gone through much faster."

The circuit's marketing manager Pavel Hanek admitted, however, that there is still some work to be done if the venue is to be suitable for modern Grand Prix cars.

"It is a challenge for us to improve the technical parameters of the track," said Hanek. "But it is a great honour for us that this testing took place and this will undoubtedly raise the prestige of the race track."