Motor racing: F1 teams to test with Pirelli in Bahrain

LONDON - Six Formula One teams will carry out a tyre test with supplier Pirelli in Bahrain next week after the sporting regulations were changed on safety grounds, the governing FIA said on Monday.

The International Automobile Federation said in a statement that world champions Red Bull, Mercedes, Ferrari, McLaren, Force India and Toro Rosso had accepted an invitation open to all teams.

The test at the Sakhir circuit will be from Dec. 17-19.

Regular testing is banned until next year under current regulations but Pirelli had called for a dispensation so they could collect more data about next year's tyres with representative machinery.

The first regular test of 2014 is scheduled for late January in Jerez, Spain.

The Italian company is keen to avoid any repeat of this year's spectacular British Grand Prix blowouts that threw the sport into crisis and forced Pirelli to revise their tyre construction.

Next season brings the introduction of a new V6 turbo-charged engine with energy recovery systems, in place of the old V8, with Pirelli outspoken about the need for more time to test the tyres.