This is the first year that teams have been required to pass the FIA crash
tests before they are allowed to run their cars at an official test.
Previously, teams only had to pass them prior to the first race.
It is desperate news for Marussia who were hoping to make a step forward this
year having ditched the all-digital approach of Wirth Research and signed a
long-term technical partnership with McLaren.
Even HRT, who have missed every pre-season test in their two seasons to date,
have passed all the FIA crash tests and are hoping to get some running in
Barcelona this week.
It is particularly bad news for Marussia’s rookie French driver Charles Pic
who will likely go into the first Friday practice session in Melbourne armed
with only two days of track testing behind him in the 2011 car this year.