By Luke Marc Carlile-Stanton
February 3 2007

Testing this week for the Toyota team took place at the Valencia circuit in Spain. Toyota had all 3 drivers on the 3 days the team took part, with racers Jarno Trulli and Ralf Schumacher and for the first time as the official tester Franck Montagny, taking over from Ricardo Zonta who joins the ING Renault F1 team.

So here is the story of Toyota's 3 days....

Day 1- Franck 3rd, Jarno 6th

Tetsing got under way on the Tuesday, mainly the weather was wet but that didnt stop Toyota setting impressive laptimes with it's new TF107 Car. At the end of the day Franck Montgany finished in P3 with a best time of 1:13.672, despite spinning off the track late in the day. Race driver Jarno Trulli finished the day in 6th place with a best time of 1:13.735, a good day overall for the team with the debut of the TF107.

Reigning World Champion Fernando Alonso has got his Mclaren career off to a flying start and that continued at Valencia with a time of 1:12.563 ahead of Renault tester Nelson Piquet Jr in the new Renault R27. BMW-Sauber tester Sebastian Vettel was 4th fastest just ahead of new Ferrari driver and 2007 title favourite Kimi Raikkonen in his forst run in Ferrari's F2007 Car, 5th place being a respectable staart even though Alonso was miles ahead in the Mclaren. Jarno rounded out the top 6.

BMW-Sauber Nick Heidfeld was a solid 7th with a time of 1:13.848 ahead of Giancarlo Fisichella in the Renault who takes up the 'number 1' status in the post-Alonso Renault era. Honda havent set the world alight with the new RA107 car but Brazilian Rubens Barrichello was a solid 9th. Tester Kazuki Nakajima rounded out the top 10 in the Toyota powered AT&T Williams Car.

Honda tester James Rossiter was 11th for Honda ahead of Super Aguri race driver Takuma Sato in a good 12th place for the Honda 'B-Team.' Red Bull Racing launched their first Adrian Newey designed car fitted with a Renault engine, the car titled the RB3. Mark Webber sported a white unbranded helmet for this test but the Australian driver suffered on an off in the RB3 limiting his running meaning he was a dissapointing 14th. Ferrari Test driver Luca Badoer was punted off the track by Alonso meanign the Italian finished the day 15th and last.

Valencia, day 1
1 Fernando Alonso Vodafone McLaren-Mercedes 01:12.563 
2 Nelson Piquet jr. ING Renault F1 01:13.549 
3 Franck Montagny Panasonic Toyota Racing 01:13.672
4 Sebastian Vettel  BMW-Sauber 01:13.683 75
5 Kimi Räikkönen  Ferrari  01:13.691
6 Jarno Trulli  Panasonic Toyota Racing 01:13.735 
7 Nick Heidfeld  BMW-Sauber 01:13.848 
8 Giancarlo Fisichella ING Renault F1  01:13.867
9 Rubens Barrichello  Honda  01:14.025 
10 Kazuki Nakajima  AT&T Williams Toyota 01:14.520 
11 James Rossiter   Honda  01:14.643
12 Takuma Sato  Super Aguri Honda 01:15.674
13 Mark Webber  Red Bull Renault 01:15.726 
14 Luca Badoer  Ferrari  01:16.334

Day 2- Jarno 6th, Ralf 11th.

Montagny had gone home meaning that Ralf got some time to get to grips in the TF107 joining Jarno for day 2. Jarno finished the day once again a solid 6th fastest with a time of 1:13.297, and Ralf finished his first official test with the TF107 in 11th on a time of 1:13.839, the midfield looks like it will be a close one this season, but Toyota arent a million miles off the front so maybe after the disaster of 2006 things are looking brighter for Toyota and it's fans who demand results!

Alonso was once again fastest for Mclaren, just a little slower on the previous day but still very quick on a time of 1:12.582 ahead of his former team mate Giancarlo Fisichella in the Reanult on a time of 1:12.737 just beating his new Finnish rooke Team mate Heikki Kovalinen, an impressive third with a best time of 1:12.770.

Raikkonen headed the next group, still getting to grips with his new Ferrari but still a good fourth fastest ahead of Heidfeld in the BMW-Sauber with Jarno rounding out the top 6, the meat in a BMW-Sauber sandwich with the highly rated Polish driver Robert Kubica in 7th position.

Ferrari team number 1 Felipe Massa joined Kimi Raikkonen and was 8th fastest with a time of 1:13.574, Ferrari taking a little while to get up to speed so it seems. Honda racer Barrichello and Honda test driver James Rossiter rounding out the top 10. Ralf headed the next group in 11th ahead of Mclaren's test driver and Juan Pablo Montoya's race driver replacement of 2006, Pedro De La Rosa who was 12th nearly two seconds off Alonso's pace. Next up was a Japanese duo of Williams' Nakajima ahead of Super Aguri's Sato.

Red Bull still not fully up to speed with the RB3 meaning David Coulthard on his first run in the new car was only 14th on a best time of 1:15.939. A new edition to the F1 paddock is the new Super Aguri test driver and Formula 3 Euroseries star Giedo Van De Garde of Holland. Depsite only being able to compete 4 laps he enjoyed his first F1 run but was off the pace totally with a time of 1:26.348, but keeping in mind he only competed 4 laps and it was his debut....a solid first day at the office!

Valencia, Day 2
1 Fernando Alonso  McLaren  01:12.582 
2 Giancarlo Fisichella  Renault  01:12.737 
3 Heikki Kovalainen  Renault  01:12.770
4 Kimi Räikkönen  Ferrari  01:12.869 
5 Nick Heidfeld  BMW-Sauber  01:13.012 
6 Jarno Trulli  Toyota  01:13.297 
7 Robert Kubica  BMW-Sauber  01:13.310 
8 Felipe Massa  Ferrari  01:13.574 
9 Rubens Barrichello  Honda  01:13.690 
10 James Rossiter   Honda  01:13.732 
11 Ralf Schumacher  Toyota  01:13.839 
12 Pedro De la Rosa  McLaren  01:14.286 
13 Kazuki Nakajima  Williams  01:14.401 
14 Takuma Sato  Super Aguri  01:14.812 
15 David Coulthard  Red Bull  01:15.939 
16 Giedo Van Der Garde  Super Aguri  01:26.348 

Day 3- Ralf fastest!

Jarno had suffered problems at the end of day 2 with his car, this meant he had to have the day off meaning Ralf went it alone for Toyota....and was fastest! The German setting and impressive time of 1:11.297, very impressive and things are certianly looking good for Toyota early on.

Fisichella was next up for Renault in second and it was de-ja vu for Renault with Kovalainen third! Alonso had been fastest the first 2 days but had to settle for 4th behind Ralfie, Fisico and Kovy with a time of 1:11.710. He finished just ahead of Heideld and Raikkonen for BMW-Sauber and Ferrari respectivly.

De La Rosa was 7th in the second Mclaren ahead of Massa, Ferrari still not up to speed yet! Kubica in the BMW-Sauber and Jenson Button on his first test at Valencia in the Honda RA107 Rounded out the top 10.

Britain will have 4 drivers on the grid this season and Anthony Davidson is Super Aguri's entry. He finished 11th on a time of 1:13.143 ahead of fellow Briton and vetran David Coulthard in his second day of testing in the RB3. Rossiter was 13th ahead of Webber in the second Red Bull Renault, Red Bull would have expected to be quicker than this.

Williams tester Nakajima rounded off the 15 runners.

1 Ralf Schumacher  Toyota  01:11.297 
2 Giancarlo Fisichella  Renault  01:11.621 
3 Heikki Kovalainen  Renault  01:11.643 
4 Fernando Alonso  McLaren  01:11.710
5 Nick Heidfeld  BMW-Sauber 01:11.989
6 Kimi Räikkönen  Ferrari  01:12.360 
7 Pedro de la Rosa  McLaren  01:12.361 
8 Felipe Massa  Ferrari  01:12.418
9 Robert Kubica  BMW  01:12.857 
10 Jenson Button  Honda  01:12.976 
11 Anthony Davidson  Super Aguri  01:13.143
12 David Coulthard  Red Bull  01:13.450
13 James Rossiter   Honda  01:13.728
14 Mark Webber  Red Bull  01:13.796 
15 Kazuki Nakajima  Williams  01:13.945