Mercedes is to run a two-day "test" at Silverstone next week in preparation for the Austrian Grand Prix next month.

"Valtteri (Tuesday) and Lewis (Wednesday) will drive the 2018 Mercedes W09 in a two-day test as the team practises protocols ahead of returning to racing in Austria next month," announced the German team on social media this afternoon.

While the rules do not include testing in a contemporary car, teams are allowed almost unlimited running in cars "designed and built in order to comply with the Formula 1 Technical Regulations of any of the three calendar years falling immediately prior to the calendar year preceding the championship".

"Testing of previous cars may only be carried out with cars built to the specification of the period and only tyres manufactured specifically for this purpose may be used," state the sporting regulations."

While the German team will need to inform the FIA, giving full details of the cars being used and who will drive them, it remains to be seen if other F1 teams follow its example.

The last time either driver drove an F1 car in anger was at the end of February in pre-season testing, and with the Austrian Grand Prix kicking off a hectic schedule of eight races in ten weeks, Hamilton and Bottas will be keen to get in some much needed track time.