All teams must pass stringent FIA crash tests before their cars are allowed to take part in testing at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, with the first test starting on February 22. Sauber confirmed on Monday afternoon it has now had its chassis homologated, with the team tweeting: “YAY! The #SauberC35 did it! Nose & chassis passed the static & dynamic crash tests!”

Sauber’s joins Haas, Renault, Force India, Manor, Ferrari and Toro Rosso in confirming its car has passed the tests, with only Mercedes, McLaren and Red Bull yet to say whether their respective chassis are homologated.

Red Bull left it late in 2015 to pass the tests as it pushed its car design programme right up to the start of the first test in Jerez at the start of February.