Paul Ricard test day three

F1 teams prepare for Nürburgring at the Paul Ricard HTTT

The Paul Ricard HTTT welcomed during three test days teams Ferrari and Panasonic Toyota Racing on the 3E SC - short (3,254 km). Both teams and drivers adapted their test program to the irregular weather conditions.

The session took place under a sunny sky, sometimes cloudy and was interrupted Thursday afternoon by a spring rain shower. Teams were therefore able to test dry and wet tyres.

Panasonic Toyota Racing based their session on a double test program. While Brazilian Ricardo Zonta concentrated during three days on Bridgestone tyre tests for the coming European Grand Prix, analyzing and correcting the data results from the Imola race, Jarno Trulli and Ralf Schumacher (Friday) tested the different set-ups and balance of the new car TF106-B. With two cars, the team completed over 2000 km during three days.

Ferrari worked on Bridgestone tyre development program with Michael Schumacher and Luca Badoer (Wednesday). The German driver set the overall best lap time in 00:58.297, breaking Pedro De La Rosa's (McLaren Mercedes) lap record set on the same track solution on April 15th 2005 (00:57.276).

The teams seem to be satisfied with their test program at the Paul Ricard HTTT; their aim was to prepare for the upcoming European Grand Prix at the Nürburgring Circuit on May 7th. All the teams which have tested this year at the Paul Ricard HTTT and team Toso Rosso will be present from May 16th to 19th for a new test session to prepare for the Monaco Grand Prix.

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