Zonta to leave Toyota for Renault

By Luke Marc Carlile-Stanton
September 6 2006

It has been announced today that Ricardo Zonta will be leaving the Toyota Formula 1 team to take up a simalar role at Renault for 2007 and beyond.

The news came this morning as Renault finally announced their line up for 2007. As predicted 2005 GP2 Runner-up Heikki Kovalinen will join Giancarlo Fisichella as the teams second driver, while Ricardo will leave Toyota to partner Nelson Piquet Jnr (who currently lies second behind Lewis Hamilton in GP2) as the Renault test drivers.

Ricardo is very excited at the prospect of testing for the current World Championship team and said;

“I am very excited about joining Renault, and about what I can bring to the team. For me, the prospect of driving a world champion car is a big motivation, and to join a team that is winning races."

"I have had four very good years at Toyota, and learned a lot during the last twelve months as we made the transition to Bridgestone tyres. That involved a lot of changes to the car and a lot of work to understand the character of the tyres. It is a process Renault will have to go through next year, and I think I can bring that knowledge to them. I am very much looking forward to beginning working with my new team.”

Zonta raced for B.A.R in the years of 1999 and 2000 before becoming the test driver for Jordan in 2001 and replacing Heinz Harold Frentzen at the Canadian and German Grand Prix's. Ricardo then joined Toyota as a test driver and made 5 Grand Prix apperances in 2004 replacing Cristiano Da Matta.

The rumour mill is currently predicting that Super Aguri 3rd Driver Franck Montagny will take Zonta's place at Toyota. Montagny himself was a test driver for Renault and has raced 6 races this season for Super Aguri after Yuji Ide lost his super license after an accident with Midlands Christijan Albers at Imola earlier this year.

From TotallyToyota F1, We wish Ricardo well in his new team and the best for the future.