'Non-A1 GP' testing to be banned

Brazil's Nelson Piquet Jr, Portugal's Alvaro Parente, Mexico's Salvador Duran and South Africa's Stephen Simpson were among several drivers to test at the Sydney venue in less powerful machinery to learn the course prior to this weekend.

Series rules currently prohibit testing in the 550bhp A1 GP car, but there is no restriction on testing at any race circuit in any other form of a car.

However, the extra testing has caused controversy among other teams, who do not believe it to be in the spirit of A1 GP rules.

A1 GP organisers will now attempt to convince team bosses to impose a rule prohibiting any kind of testing at A1 tracks within six months of a race meeting to prevent a repeat.

A1 GP general manager Stephen Watson said the rule could be imposed as early as this weekend. He told autosport.com: "I'm planning a vote at the teams' meeting to get this option banned.

"If everyone tests at an A1 track in another car before the race, the costs of being competitive in this series are going to spiral. Everyone will have to do it to be competitive and it is not fair.

"We aim to introduce a regulation that says within six months of an A1 GP round you cannot test in any form at the track, unless it is part of a race meeting of a recognised Championship that the driver is involved in.

"I don't mind if it's four months, but some of the teams are pushing for six. That time gap will remove the benefit having tested there.

"I'm confident the new rule will have unanimous support."

Under A1 GP rules, changes to the sporting regulations only require a majority of teams (51 per cent) to agree.