Haas can run longer in evenings after Sunday F1 test denied

Haas was not ready to run on the opening morning of the second pre-season test at the Bahrain International Circuit due to the late arrival of its equipment after a plane scheduled to transport its freight from the UK to Bahrain was grounded in Turkey with technical issues. 

The VF-22 finally hit the track in the afternoon, with reserve driver Pietro Fittipaldi getting behind the wheel of Haas’ 2022 challenger. 

Haas had been hoping to be permitted to run alone on Sunday - one day after the test has officially ended - on the grounds of force majeure but the American outfit’s bid was denied after three teams objected. 

Instead, Haas will be allowed to make up time across each evening of the three days of the test by running beyond the chequered flag, which will be waved at 7pm local time. 

“We were denied the testing on Sunday,” Haas team principal Guenther Steiner explained. “Nine minutes before we went out. 

“So we can make up four hours of testing but we need to make it up at the end of the day, we are not allowed to run on Sunday. 

"We can run an hour later or four hours… In total four hours later, over the three days, four hours in the evening.”

Asked why Haas’ request was denied, Steiner said: “Because the regulations, it needs to be three days in a row. 

“It needs to be unanimously voted that we can do it otherwise we cannot do it. That is what I hear - that it was McLaren.”

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff appeared to be opposed to the idea of Haas being granted extra testing time when he spoke earlier on Thursday.  

“I think you need to get the values right,” he said. “The regulations are the regulations and if you start to open it for whatever, even force majeure situations, then it becomes tricky. 

“All my sympathies are with Haas that they are getting half a day [less] but it needs to be evaluated. It’s not our decision but [for] the FIA to give direction here.”