Toyota - Bahrain best value

Pre-season preparations: Toyota's Jarno Trulli

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Toyota's technical chief Pascal Vasselon has said he believes testing in Bahrain offers "the best value for money".

With a ban on in-season testing taking effect this season, track time is currently at a premium as teams look to set-up their 2009 cars, which are significantly different due to regulation changes.

The first group test, held at the Portimao circuit on the Algarve a fortnight ago, was badly affected by rain and teams testing in Europe will be keeping a close eye on the skies ahead of their second pre-season outing at Jerez next week.

However, despite the added expense of travelling to the Middle East, Toyota - together with Ferrari and BMW Sauber - are more or less certain of a dry and warm run when they take to the track.

"For us testing in Bahrain is just the best value for money," Vasselon told autosport.com.

"There is a risk in Europe in the winter of spending your time in conditions that are totally irrelevant in terms of the tyre working window. And this can put in doubt any kind of set-up result you get, because the tyres are not working in the right window.

"All of the couplings between the tyres and the other set-up parameters can be totally wrong. This can cost a lot in terms of pre-season preparation.

"For us it is just common sense to test in Bahrain. We would be ready to drop one of the two European test sessions to spend more time in Bahrain.

"It is the best value for money and the best preparation for the rest of the season."