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F1 Needs More Night Practice

Toro Rosso Team Manager Massimo Rivola has called on F1 officials to revise the scheduled timetable for the inaugural Singapore Grand Prix later this year.

The Asian city-state will host the sport's first-ever night race, but Rivola is concerned that teams have only been afforded ninety minutes of floodlit practice before qualifying takes place at 8pm on Saturday night.

Initial Friday practice, for instance, will take place in daylight (4pm), and - similarly - pre-qualifying practice on Saturday is currently scheduled for 5pm.

"I don't think this is enough time (to practice under the lights)," Rivola said.

F1 teams have already ruled out organising a pre-Singapore night test in Europe because of the cost, and the series long ago abandoned the procedure of installing an extra day (Thursday) of official practice before racing at new circuits.

Rivola told the Swiss publication Motorsport Aktuell: "We must find a way to let the drivers get used to driving at night."

"Either we change the programme so that a greater amount of practice takes place at night," he added, "or we have to think seriously about re-introducing the Thursday tests."

It is suggested that Rivola is seeking the written support of all teams before making a formal proposal to the FIA.

© CAPSIS International
Source: GMM

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Copyright (C) 2007 Alain Georgette / Copyright (C) 2006 Frantisek Hliva. All rights reserved.

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