Following weeks of discussions about where next year's pre-season testing should take place – as teams were divided on whether to stick to Barcelona or run in Bahrain – F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone summoned team principals together on Friday lunchtime in Austin.

After discussing a number of options – including having a split test or running entirely in Bahrain – it was agreed that the best way forward was not to change the long-established plan to hold both pre-season tests in Barcelona.

However, a plan has been put in place to shift the first in-season test, originally scheduled for after the Spanish Grand Prix, to Bahrain instead.

Although the final details have yet to be finalised, it is likely that the post-Bahrain test will take place on the Tuesday and Wednesday after the F1 race.