Silverstone Day 3- Ralf 5th, Olivier 6th.

By Luke Marc Carlile-Stanton
September 21 2006

German Ralf Schumacher and Frenchman Olivier Panis finished 5th and 6th respectively for the Toyota team on the final day of testing at the Silverstone circuit in Great Britain.

Olivier, competiting in one of his final testing duties for Toyota before he goes into retirement took over from yet to be confirmed Toyota test driver Franck Montagny and he finished 6th on a best time of 1.22.216 whilst Ralf finished one place ahead of the out going test driver in 5th on a best time of 1.21.391 before he, Jarno Trulli and the Toyota team head out for the Chinese Grand Prix in just over a week's time.

Meanwhile Nelson Piquet Jr finished top for the second day in succession for Renault. The Brazilian 2007 Renault test driver and 2006 GP2 runner-up once again beat current tester and promoted race driver Heikki Kovalinen into second place. Piquet's time a 1.19.508 whilst Kovalinen was marginally slower on a 1.19.576. GP2 Champion Lewis Hamilton was third on is second proper test fopr Mclaren. The British driver cruicially beat Pedro De La Rosa, both drivers are competing for the second Mclaren race seat alonsgide reigning World Champion Fernando Alonso for next season.

Austrian Alex Wurz took over from fellow Williams tester Narian Karthikeyan at the hands of a Toyota powered Williams. The Austrian who like Kovalinen has been promoted to a race seat next year was preparing Williams for the change from Cosworth to Toyota power for 2007. So far Williams endured teething troubles with the change of engine in the back of the FW28B, but things went fairly well today and Wurz set a best time of 1.22.931. Super Aguri-Honda were the only other team on track today and Takuma Sato finished the day 8th out of 8 runners. The Japanaesse drivers best time a 1:23.183.

Silverstone Test-Day 3. 21st September 2006.
1 . N. Piquet (BRA) Renault R26 - 1:19.510  86 laps
2 . H. Kovalainen (FIN)  Renault R26 - 1:19.571103 laps
3 . L. Hamilton (GBR) McLaren Mercedes MP4-21 - 1:20.175 50 laps
4 . P. de la Rosa (ESP) McLaren Mercedes MP4-21 - 1:20.285 107 laps
5 . R. Schumacher (D) Toyota TF106B - 1:21.388 52 laps
6 . O. Panis (FRA) Toyota TF106B - 1:22.253 81 laps
7 . A. Wurz (AUT)  Williams Toyota FW28B - 1:22.93197 laps
8 . T. Sato (JPN) Super Aguri Honda SA06 - 1:23.183  85 laps.