Former Formula One doctor Gary Hartstein says a financial stumbling block has prevented race-standard medical provisions from being implemented at pre-season testing.
McLaren driver Fernando Alonso will miss the season-opening Australian Grand Prix on medical advice following a crash at testing in Barcelona last month.
At present, testing activities are not subject to the same regulations as race weekends due to the fact they are considered private arrangements between teams and the circuits.
And Hartstein, who fulfilled a number of medical roles during 15 years in F1, says the FIA – the sport's governing body – has limited power when it comes to standardising levels of emergency cover.
"It's not completely unregulated, but it is a private affair," he told Perform.
"Ultimately there are some grey areas, but if you read Appendix H [to the FIA's International Sporting Code], which is the one that talks about medical and rescue services among other things, there's a little addendum that makes it very clear that private testing is a contractual arrangement between the teams and the circuit.
"When I was medical delegate they asked me to write up a set of criteria that they could use contractually and, as a private person, I wrote that for them and they tend to use that."
Asked whether he feels race-standard provisions should be employed at pre-season testing, Hartstein continued: "The precautions you take and don't take are completely up to you.
"So if the drivers and the teams are happy with the current situation, then that's fine.
"The FIA could, presumably, get involved. But it's just not their business.
"It's a private activity and it's really up to the teams.
"Every time they approached me about this, I pointed out that making things even close to the full set-up that we have on a Grand Prix weekend was going to cost them a huge amount of money.
"All of a sudden it became significantly less imperative. It's up to them."
Nevertheless, Hartstein remains confident that Alonso received medical attention of the highest standard after slamming into a wall at turn three at the Circuit de Catalunya on February 22.
"A guy who has an accident at a circuit in a Formula One car is going to be attended to a lot faster than if the same guy has an accident on a highway in the country he's testing in," he added.
"Their access to emergency care is pretty good at circuits during private testing.
"There's no question in my mind that his medical care was entirely appropriate from beginning to end.
"Whatever problems there are, they are not down to inadequate resources, knowledge or training at the circuit, that's for sure."