Jerez Day 2 - Toyota 3rd, 7th and 12th fastest
By Nick Sparkes
January 11 2006
Pedro de la Rosa took his newly painted, V10 McLaren to the top of the times during the second day of testing. Michael Schumacher finishing second for Ferrari, the fastest V8. Behind came Zonta in his TF106, whilst the two Toyota race drivers Ralf and Jarno ended the day 7th and 12th.
On a day where only Midland were absent, all the teams gave their 2006 campaign a kick-start. McLaren, returning to their orange colour scheme, finished the day fastest with yesterday’s top man Michael Schumacher 1.5 seconds behind, although using the 2006 spec V8 engine. Ricardo Zonta rounded off the laps in his 2006 machine to finish half a second behind Michael.
Fernando Alonso continued to use the teams 2005 car, with a limited V10 engine, to finish the day fourth, whilst the new Renault R26 in the hands of Giancarlo Fisichella was sixth. Between the two was Nick Heidfeld's white BMW.
Ralf Schumacher found himself in the middle of the pack in seventh, whilst Nico Rosberg continued to test Williams' Cosworth V8 as well as learning the art of driving a Formula One car quickly, the young challenger ended up eighth.
Honda began their 2006 challenge with newly signed Anthony Davidson finishing just within the top ten in ninth whilst James Rossiter also running in the Honda concept car finished eleventh.
Alex Wurz made his first appearance in a Williams, although he was outpaced by his team mate Rosberg all day, Wurz's first day at the office ended in fifteenth place.
Gary Paffett ran for the first time this year as an official McLaren test driver, the Brit finishing his first day thirteenth with a V10 engine. Jarno Trulli was also making a welcome return, the Italian was putting in the miles in his TF106, yet finished way behind his team mates in twelfth place.
Red Bull Racing's David Coulthard again struggled with his new RB2, the new machine ran into difficulties like yesterday and only managed 30 laps, whilst Adrian Newey watched for the first time in the Red Bull Racing garage.
Testing continues tomorrow.
| 1 | P. de la Rosa | McLaren |  |
01:16.509 | 86 |
| 2 | M. Schumacher | Ferrari |  |
01:17.970 | 53 |
| 3 | R. Zonta | Toyota | |
01:18.541 | 71 |
| 4 | F. Alonso | Renault | |
01:18.607 | 104 |
| 5 | N. Heidfeld | BMW | |
01:18.817 | 56 |
| 6 | G. Fisichella | Renault | |
01:19.118 | 65 |
| 7 | R. Schumacher | Toyota | |
01:19.189 | 35 |
| 8 | N. Rosberg | Williams | |
01:19.394 | 50 |
| 9 | A. Davidson | Honda | |
01:19.427 | 112 |
| 10 | L. Badoer | Ferrari | |
01:19.774 | 94 |
| 11 | J. Rossiter | Honda | |
01:19.891 | 104 |
| 12 | J. Trulli | Toyota | |
01:19.975 | 18 |
| 13 | G. Paffett | McLaren | |
01:20.137 | 81 |
| 14 | V. Liuzzi | Scuderia Toro Rosso | |
01:20.211 | 90 |
| 15 | A. Wurz | Williams | |
01:20.749 | 31 |
| 16 | D. Coulthard | Red Bull | |
01:21.199 | 30 |