Mario Isola admits he is "worried" about pre-season testing

Last year, the weather in Barcelona hampered the first pre-season test. Snow was on the ground, temperatures were as low as freezing point and strong winds prevented continuous running across the first week. Mario Isola, Pirelli's top man in Formula 1, fears a repeat in 2019.

"Until the beginning of January it looked like spring in Barcelona, but now it is much colder. We know what happened last year. We are worried," Isola told the Dutch version of Motorsport.com.

Throughout the opening half of the 2018 season, Bahrain was looking a likely alternative venue for pre-season testing. But the move was voted down by the teams. Isola understands the teams reasoning but doesn't hold back his frustrations.

"We need representative weather," he continues. "It is also different because the teams are working on the development of a new car. The priority is to cover as many kilometres as possible at a location that is reasonably close to the factories of the teams. Then it is easy for the teams to send new parts to Barcelona," Isola added.

The opening test begins in three weeks time, on February 18th.