Lauda pushing for 2017 Bahrain testing

Mercedes F1 team chairman Niki Lauda will lobby Formula 1 teams and try get them to agree to test the 2017 cars in Bahrain, as he fears rain could cost teams valuable track time.

Lauda told Auto Motor und Sport, "It would be madness to run the new cars and try the new tires only in Europe, at that time of the year. What would we do if it rains for two weeks?'

"The choice of Bahrain would make more sense," added the Austrian.

He believes that smaller teams will resist travelling to Bahrain due to the extra cost that would be incurred by such a venture.

A decision to shift testing from Barcelona to the island kingdom would require unanimous agreement between the teams, which Lauda is hoping to get.

Circuit de Catalunya in Barcelona is expected to host F1 preseason testing in 2017 from 27 February 27 to 2 March 2, followed by a second test from 7 to 10 March.