Key: F1 pre-season tests in Bahrain 'perfectly doable'

Formula 1 should return to a split pre-season testing schedule that includes some hot weather running in Bahrain to prevent a loss of track time due to the conditions, according to Toro Rosso technical boss James Key.

Cold weather impacted the opening three days of pre-season testing in Barcelona, with snow washing out much of Wednesday as a total of 17 laps were completed by the entire F1 field over a nine-hour period.

The loss of track time has led to suggestions that F1 could return to the Middle East for its pre-season testing in the future in order to have more stable conditions for testing.

Testing last visited the Middle East in 2014 when running was split between Jerez and Bahrain before it was decided to keep testing in Barcelona from then on to ease the logistical and financial burden of testing.

"We tested in Bahrain I think in 2014. Of all the logistical nightmares to have with such a massive change in regs both on the aero and engine side, we all managed it - so it’s perfectly doable," Key said.

"Barcelona’s a great reference track, that’s why we come here. When conditions are good it gives you a lot of useful data. But when it’s these conditions it is tricky.

"Although it’s got a new track surface now, in previous years it has been very cold and it’s very tough on the tires, so you don’t really get representative laps from that either.

"This week is a very bad example of what can happen, but I think if we’re able to go to Bahrain, it’s money well spent in my view.

"Logistically it’s a bit more expensive, but you fly there rather than drive so I think timing-wise it’s not massively different.

"It’s a bit tricky getting back to the factory if you need to, but it’s perfectly doable."

Haas F1 chief Günther Steiner had rejected the idea of taking testing to Bahrain when asked about it earlier this week, citing the significant added costs and inability to easily draft new parts in from the factory as the main reasons for keeping testing in Barcelona.

"The thing is if next week you have a good week, normal temperature, 16-17ºC, sunshine, we would have forgotten until we decide again where we go next year," Steiner said.

"You guys have no idea how much stuff is coming here every day. Every day there is stuff coming for the car, it’s brutal.

"If it is Bahrain, you need to get prepared. It’s the same for everybody and we’d need to get better prepared, but that’s one of the issues. Then the next thing is some teams would put on a jet every night to go back and forward - and some cannot."