Pirelli will be testing its 2014 tyres later this month and the three top teams will be providing their 2013 cars for the tests.

There had been some objections from certain teams when rumours surfaced that McLaren had McLaren had put its hand up to run its 2013 car for Pirelli at a December test in Bahrain. “It would be unfortunate,” Mercedes’ Ross Brawn said recently, “if one team had the benefit of running a (2014) tyre to the exclusion of all the others.”

Now, Italy’s Autosprint and La Gazzetta dello Sport are both reporting that the 2013-car test in Bahrain which will be held between 17 and 19 December, will be attended by three teams. However, it seems that McLaren will not be among these three teams.

The three teams who finished in first, second and third places in the 2013 Constructors’ championship have apparently been chosen – Red Bull, Mercedes and Ferrari.

Autosprint reported that Lotus, who finished fourth overall in 2013, was also invited, but declined for financial reasons. McLaren finished fifth, but were not invited.

La Gazzetta dello Sport reported that all tyre data collected during the Bahrain Pirelli test would be made available to all of the other teams, who according to regulations are also allowed to send observers to Bahrain.

Alberto Antonini, Autosprint correspondent has also reported that the teams who were not invited are not happy at all since they’ve been effectively locked out of the Pirelli test which would hand a very early advantage to the 2013 frontrunners.