Toyota test update day 2
Jarno Trulli made an early start to his final test of 2005 at Jerez today, flying in to take over where Ralf Schumacher left off yesterday. The Italian arrived at lunchtime and put in a packed afternoon's work on the TF106, following on from his first run in the new car last week at Barcelona.
Ryan Briscoe continued his return to an F1 cockpit in the other car, completing a full day of work on set-up, weight distribution and tyres. Panasonic Toyota Racing's Ricardo Zonta will take over from Briscoe for the rest of the week.
Ryan Briscoe "That was another productive day of running for me, and it was enjoyable to have more time in the new car. The TF106 is a very different car from the last Toyota I tested a year ago because there have been a lot of changes, most notably the V8 engine and the Bridgestone tyres. The new engine obviously has a bit less horsepower than the V10 – but not a massive amount, which is a good sign. Apart from that the car has made big improvements since I last drove it. The team has improved a lot in all the small details. Things like the electronics are working smoother than I remember and it all means the car is very smooth to drive. Today we had one stoppage with a throttle problem but overall it has been a useful return to action for me."
Jarno Trulli "I was originally scheduled to start my test here tomorrow, but the change of plan meant we were able to fit in some extra running today. I only arrived in Jerez at about noon so it was a very busy afternoon for us. Just as last week in Barcelona, the new TF106 felt well balanced and we got through a lot of laps. So it was a very positive day overall. We made it through a lot of set-up comparisons so this has been a useful starting point for the next two days when I will continue to test here."
Mike Gascoyne, Technical Director Chassis"That was a constructive day. Both cars ran very reliably and we only had one small mechanical issue when Ryan stopped with a hydraulic problem. Even so, he completed most of his programme. I have to say that considering Ryan has not driven an F1 car for a year and that this was his first time since his huge shunt in the IRL he's done an excellent job over the two days, both in terms of consistency and speed. So I congratulate him for conducting an excellent two-day test programme at very short notice. Jarno started his programme earlier than we expected, replacing Ralf. He, too, was able to complete his whole day's programme with no worries. He was working with Bridgestone on their reference tyres, looking to get a better balance and he made some useful progress."
