TEST REPORT - PAUL RICARD – WEEKLY SUMMARY
Location: Paul Ricard HTTT, Le Castellet, France
Drivers during the test: Pedro de la Rosa
and Gary Paffett (Today and Thursday)
Kimi Raikkonen and Juan Pablo Montoya (Tuesday and Wednesday)
Weather: Warm sunshine
Track temperature – high of 36.4 degrees Celsius
Air temperature – high of 25.1 degrees Celsius
Laps run today: 129
Kilometres covered today: Pedro de la Rosa approx. 271km
Gary Paffett approx. 401km
Total km during the test: 3,136km
Kimi Raikkonen approx. 514km
Juan Pablo Montoya approx. 808km
Pedro de la Rosa approx. 897km
Gary Paffett approx. 917km
Best lap time of the day: Olivier Panis, Toyota, 1m27.143
Best lap time of the test on short track configuration: Fernando
Alonso. 1m05.363 (Wednesday)
Best lap time of the test on long track configuration: Jacques
Villeneuve. 1m25.379 (Thursday)
Duration of test: Four days (16th – 19th May)
TODAY:
Pedro de la Rosa and Gary Paffett completed an intensive
four day test for Team McLaren Mercedes at the Paul Ricard
High Tech Test Track in the south of France today.
Work for the pair remained on preparations for the Canadian
round of the 2006 Formula One World Championship in late June.
With the Paul Ricard facility allowing the teams to configure
the circuit to simulate other track layouts, Team McLaren
Mercedes pushed forward with development work and Michelin
tyre selection for Canada.
Pedro was third on the timesheets, with a 1m27.290 set during
the afternoon's running. The Spaniard completed over 271km
as he put in 52 laps of the track. A problem with the clutch
meant that he did not run in the morning as the mechanics
worked on his car to resolve it.
Team mate Gary covered 77 laps at Paul Ricard today, equating
to 401km. His time of 1m27.649 saw him end the day fourth
fastest.
DAY ONE – TUESDAY 16TH MAY:
Kimi Raikkonen and Juan Pablo Montoya were in attendance
for the first session of the week at Paul Ricard, which for
Tuesday and Wednesday was in the 2D SC 3.593km configuration.
This short layout simulates Monaco, a track with no pre-race
testing, as closely as possible. The focus of the first two
days was on the cooling and bodywork package for the race
at Monte Carlo and Michelin tyre selection. In warm weather
conditions Kimi and Juan Pablo covered 618km in total, putting
in the fifth and sixth fastest times of the day. The team
also spent time during the day evaluating various suspension
options with Kimi's MP4-21.
DAY TWO – WEDNESDAY 17TH MAY:
The Team McLaren Mercedes race drivers continued the preparations
for the Monaco Grand Prix, including completing the Michelin
selection process. The test programme continued from the previous
day, with some additional work for the drivers on set-up for
the event together with their race engineers. Juan Pablo completed
over 435km of the French circuit as he set the seventh fastest
time. Kimi ended the day in ninth on the timesheets as he
covered 269km.
DAY THREE – THURSDAY 18TH MAY:
Pedro and Gary replaced Kimi and Juan Pablo at Paul Ricard,
which for the final two days of the test was run in the longer
and faster 1E SC short configuration. At 5.216km in length
the layout allowed the test team to work on specific Mercedes-Benz
engine and aerodynamic developments for the Canadian Grand
Prix in June. As the warm weather continued the test drivers
were able to complete their programme for the day as they
put in 1,142km in total. Pedro set the third quickest time
of the day as he covered 120 laps. The day saw Gary drive
the MP4-21 for the first time, as his previous work for the
team had focused on Michelin development in the interim MP4-20.
KIMI RAIKKONEN
"It was good to get some testing in at Paul Ricard before
we go to Monaco next week. Because the track layout is similar
we have been able to work through some set-up options. We
also had some good feedback with our Michelin work, so I am
now looking forward to getting on track next Thursday and
continuing our programme."
JUAN PABLO MONTOYA
"We worked through all our scheduled preparations for
Monaco at the test, looking at areas such as the specific
cooling and bodywork package that we will run on the unique
track. We had some positive running with that and also spent
time on the Mercedes-Benz engine programme."
PEDRO DE LA ROSA
"Our two days of testing at Paul Ricard saw myself and
Gary focusing on the technical build-up to the Canadian Grand
Prix in June. We covered a good distance yesterday in the
two MP4-21s as we worked on areas such as engine, aerodynamics
and Michelin selection for the race. Unfortunately I had a
problem with the clutch this morning but the team worked hard
and we managed to complete our programme this afternoon."
GARY PAFFETT
"It was really great for me to get my hands on the MP4-21
for the first time this week. We had two good days, completing
over 900km, and I got a real feel for the car. It is of course
different to the interim MP4-20 to drive, as that car had
a restricted V10 engine, but you soon adapt to that."
Unofficial times from today*:
Pos Driver Constructor Time Laps
1 Olivier Panis Toyota 1m27.143 35
2 Ricardo Zonta Toyota 1m27.239 88
3 Pedro de la Rosa Team McLaren Mercedes 1m27.290 52
4 Gary Paffett Team McLaren Mercedes 1m27.649 77
*no official times available
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