Two-day Grand Prix weekend floated again

As long as an agenda exists to cut costs in Formula 1, so will the opinion that the best way to achieve is to eliminate the endless between-race testing that many teams admit costs more than their actual racing programme. Always against such a move, however, will be Ferrari, which has its own test facility at Fiorano and owns the Mugello circuit in Italy.

This season's new format has seen split testing approaches for the first time with those teams who have signed up to run early on Grand Prix Friday mornings (Renault, Jaguar, Jordan and Minardi) limited to just 20 days elsewhere. Initially seen as the preserve of those struggling for budget, already people are pointing to the job that Renault is doing as evidence that a general testing ban would be none too compromising.

Anderson's suggestion is believed to be that teams should be able to test freely at a Grand Prix on Friday, then have three hours of official practice plus first qualifying on Saturday. Sundays, meanwhile, would see final qualifying followed by a short parc ferme and then the race.

That would have the effect of dramatically improving the show for spectators at the circuit on race day, as fans currently don't get to see a car before the race begins, as well as cutting costs. The likelihood of such a format being adopted have to remain slim, however, given the power of those in opposition to it.