No F1 test for Block

Gymkhana star Ken Block's hotly anticipated Formula 1 test has been forced to be put off until later in the year, owing to Block being too tall for the car.


The test, which was due to be carried out at the Autodromo Nazionale Monza earlier on this month, but when Blocked jumped into Pirelli's test car, a Toyota TF109, it was found that, although he could fit into the car, the steering wheel caught his leg when he tried to turn the wheel to full lock.

“We can’t find a car big enough. The test has had to be delayed until we find a suitable vehicle. We’re confident we can do it, but we haven’t yet found the right car. And when we have found the right car, then we can’t find the people to run it - because there are no longer any test teams and very few have running old F1 cars. To be honest, it’s been a bit of a challenge - but we will make it happen.” said Paul Hembery, manager of Pirelli's Motorsport end.

Another, bigger, car was sought after, but it came to nought after time ran out, which was caused by the mandatory F1 summer holiday and Block's own schedule, which included the X Games in America, testing for the ADAC Rallye Deutschland and the event itself. It also proved difficult to also source old F1 cars, with very few private owners of the multi-million pound machines.

Pirelli are now understood to be wanting to re-schedule the test to coincide with Pirelli's own tyre test later on this year, where ex-F1 driver Lucas di Grassi will be present.