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Ferrari changes gear on track-testing

MARANELLO, Italy - Ferrari is whistling a new tune about Formula 1 track-testing.

Historically, since the sport drastically reduced permitted private and official test time because of cost, Ferrari has argued stridently against the new era.

However Maranello is now run by a new president, Fiat Chrysler's Sergio Marchionne, with former Marlboro smokes executive and new team boss Maurizio Arrivabene.

NEW STANCE

On Monday (Dec 22 2014), as they sat with journalists at the team’s annual Christmas lunch, it became clear that Ferrari's stance on testing had changed dramatically.

"We have talked about it," Marchionne said, "but tests on the track will not be reintroduced."

Ferrari's new stance might be related to the vast investment the team has made since the dawn of the 'no testing' era, for example in the realm of state-of-the-art simulators. And a new facility at Maranello will open mid-January 2015, Germany's Sport Bild revealed.

Marchionne said: "The costs associated with this (allowing more free testing) would be detrimental to the already stretched budgets of more than one team.

"Having this kind of activity would only increase the scope of what is already a very serious situation for a number of teams in what is a less-than-encouraging global situation."

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