First 2016 F1 test now set for February 22 in Barcelona

The F1 teams have agreed to hold the first test of 2016 in Barcelona on February 22-25, sources have confirmed.

That means that the new cars will run only seven days earlier than had been planned, despite the first race in Melbourne being moved forward by 14 days (2016 is a Leap Year).

The teams had been targeting a first test date of March 1-4 in Barcelona. That has been left intact and now becomes the second test, and the original date for the second Barcelona test later in the month has been cancelled.

The gap between the first test and the first race has shrunk by a week, so teams will have to run a different schedule than they had been expecting to as they prepare the cars for Australia.

Meanwhile teams are currently planning to hold the first in-season test after the Spanish GP, while the second will potentially actually be post-season, after Abu Dhabi.