Mercedes were planning to carry out a test at Portimao ahead of the Portuguese Grand Prix before testing at new Formula 1 venues for 2020 🐓was outlawed.

A number of new, or returning tracks, have been added to𒅌 the 2020 calendar, which ha🌌s been drastically revised because of the disruption caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

The FIA sporting regulations had allowed teams to run 2018-spec cars without limitation as long as the governing bꦛody was kept informed, and several teams had planned to carry out tests ꧑at Portimao, Imola or Mugello prior to the races there.

The likes of Ferrari and AlphaTauri took advantage of F1’s test regulations by 𒀰conducting testing days at Mugello and Imola respectively before the season got underway in July.

But similar plans were blocked after a ban on such t😼esting was pushed through over cost concerns and worries that teams taking part would gain a competitive advantage.

Mercedes, which ran a 2018 car at Silverstone💮 prior to the season to get its drivers up to speed, was hoping to run its W09 title-winner again at Portimao.

But Mercedeℱs team b🍎oss Toto Wolff ultimately agreed that outlawing testing at new venues was the right decision.

"We would have taken the 2018 💦car to some of the tracks,” he said.

“We were planning to go💧 to Portimao, but I think that it's not the right callꦐ.

"I think we're all looking at saving 🦩costs with the prize fund being conside꧂rably down, and in that respect, if nobody gains an advantage by not going testing, it's the right thing to do.”

The 10 teams agreed to the updated🍷 clause in the regulations at a recent Strategy Group meeting before the change is officially ratified by the FIA’s World Motor Sport Council.

McLaren boss Andreas Seidl welcomed the ban andꦓ believed a move to go testing would have sent out the wrong message amid F1♎’s strict COVID-19 protocols.

"It would defꦍinitely have been absolutely the wrong sᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚign also, to the public and towards our people as well in the times of COVID, in the times of where we should avoid any unnecessary trouble for our people in order to protect them,” he explained.

"I think it would have been completely the wrong sign also to do 🌠these tests. And therefore, I'm very happy with꧋ the outcome.

“It was good to see that in the end, all teams agreed on ꩲthis. Which ꩲis not always the case."