Williams vetoes Schumacher tests

Aug 3, 2009, 13:05 GMT

Hamburg - The Williams team on Monday vetoed a special exception for record champion Michael Schumacher to conduct test drives in a Ferrari in his Formula One comeback from retirement.

Team boss Frank Williams told the German Press Agency dpa in a statement that the rules prohibiting tests during the season are binding for all teams.

'While we welcome Michael Schumacher back in Formula One, the fact is that any form of in-season circuit testing is strictly probibited, a regulation clearly laid out by the FIA and adhered to by all of the teams,' Williams said.

The seven-time world champion Schumacher retired after the 2006 season. He is now to take the place of injured Felipe Massa at Ferrari until the Brazilian has recovered from head injuries sutained in on July 25 in qualifying for the Hungarian Grand Prix.

Eight teams organized in the FOTA umbrella organization had signalled their willingness to grant Schumacher some laps on a track ahead of his first scheduled race on August 23 at the European GP in Valencia, Spain.

But an agreement of all current 10 F1 teams is required on the issue. In-season testing is not allowed by FIA rules for cost-cutting reasons.

Williams, who like Force India are suspended from FOTA, said that Toro Rosso novice Jaime Alguersuari could also not drive ahead of his debut in Hungary.

'Williams sees no distinction between Alguersuari's situation and Schumacher's and feels that any deviation from the rule would create a precedent for the future,' said Frank Williams.

'For the sake of consistency and fairness, therefore, we oppose Ferrari's proposal to test ahead of the European Grand Prix.'