Paul Ricard test day one

F1 training at the Paul Ricard HTTT for the coming Monaco Grand Prix In prevision to the Monaco Grand Prix which will take place on May 22nd, the Paul Ricard HTTT welcomed today the following teams, starting a three day test session: Bar Honda ...

F1 training at the Paul Ricard HTTT for the coming Monaco Grand Prix

In prevision to the Monaco Grand Prix which will take place on May 22nd, the Paul Ricard HTTT welcomed today the following teams, starting a three day test session: Bar Honda (Anthony Davidson / Enrique Bernoldi), McLaren Mercedes (Alex Wurz / Kimi Raikkonen), Panasonic Toyota Racing (Olivier Panis / Ricardo Zonta), Red Bull Racing (David Coulthard et Vitantonio Liuzzi), Renault F1 Team (Franck Montagny / Heiki Kovalainen) as well as Sauber Petronas (Felipe Massa).

The Monaco Grand Prix being an in-town circuit, its particularity is to be slow and very technical at the same time. The teams present today at the Paul Ricard HTTT worked hard on technical aspects and tyre testing, choosing the brand new 2D sc Short track solution (3,593 km) which offers a quite similar approach to what they will find in the streets of Monaco on May 22nd.

This new track solution offers twisty corners thanks to the Hairpin, the South and North Chicanes in the Mistral straight and the brand new 'Petit Beausset' which cuts the 'Double Droite du Beausset" (see attached layout), making it possible to test breaks, suspensions and tyres.

Today's best lap time was set by Finnish driver Kimi Raikkonen of McLaren Mercedes.

Tomorrow, teams will continue their testing on the same track solution (2Dsc short), with similar weather conditions (sunshine in the morning, partly cloudy in the afternoon).

For Friday testing, the 1Esc track solution (5,780km) has been chosen to work on car set-ups for the coming Canadian Grand Prix in Montréal (June 12th), particularly demanding for engines and breaks.