“On Fridays, the circuit is usually very dirty. There is no way to push the car to its limits. In a way, it can be really frustrating,” says Ricardo Zonta, Panasonic Toyota Racing team test driver.

“But my mission is to use the practice sessions to evaluate the tires and perform long run tests. There isn’t time for me to find my best setup, but that’s not why I’m out there.”

Only teams finishing lower than 5th in the previous season’s Constructor’s Championship are allowed to run a third car on Fridays before the GP race. For Panasonic Toyota Racing, which finished 8th last year, this regulation has been one factor contributing the team’s fast start and early success in the 2005 F1 series.

On Fridays Ricardo Zonta is an extremely busy man. F1 regulations stipulate that a driver must complete all qualifying and racing on one set of tires. As the test driver, Zonta must conduct long run comparison tests in advance of the weekend race. In fact, Ricardo can spend more time in the cockpit than either Jarno or Ralf, Panasonic Toyota Racing’s regular drivers.

• Zonta contributes valuable input for tire selection
Over the course of 120 practice minutes, Ricardo works with the team engineers to select tires for the race. They use new tires, comparing the characteristics of two different types of tire compounds. Of course, it’s important to test tire grip, but Zonta and the team also have to estimate how long a particular set of tires can be expected to last.

The circuits in Australia, Bahrain, Monaco and Hungary start out particularly dusty. During the course of practice and the race, rubber from car tires builds up on the track surface, helping to improve conditions. Even so, there are times when Ricardo can turn in better lap times on a Friday than the race drivers do during qualifying and the race. Unfortunately, the media often misinterprets these results.

Mike Gascoyne, Technical Director Chassis, explains, “Ricardo is able to drive using an engine at higher RPMs than the race cars.” Gascoyne continues, “Zonta is doing a tremendous job for us. He makes an enormous contribution in the selection of race tires, and we have been able to set up the cars much more quickly with his input. But you have to remember that the third car is not subject to the same conditions as the race cars, so it would be a mistake to make a simple comparison between them.”

Luca Marmorini (Technical Director Engine) says the following about using an engine at higher RPMs in the third car:

“A new change in rules means that a single engine must be used for two races in a row. Changing the engine before a race will cost you 10 positions on the preliminary grid, or a penalty of starting in the last spot on the race grid. That’s why teams tend to keep their RMPs low during Friday practices, only stressing the engines when maximum performance is absolutely necessary. This is the reason that Ricardo’s job is so important. We have to run at high RPMs using his car to find the right setup values for our race cars without subjecting them to undue stress.”

• ”I feel like the points we win as a team count as my points as well”
Quite often, you will see the name “Zonta” at the top of the time sheets. Ricardo says that the hardest thing he has to do is get out of his car for the last time on a Friday afternoon.

“Eventually, I have to leave the course, and the final checks are then performed by the race drivers. Beginning Saturday, they have to find the best tuning setup for their own cars.

Of course, Zonta is present at the weekend race meetings. But on Saturdays and Sundays, Ricardo is basically just one more racing fan, watching his teammates drive.

“It’s really tough, since I can’t do anything. Of course, I participate in the technical meetings, and it’s important to give interviews and meet the fans in the Paddock Club. But I don’t like spending time doing nothing. I guess my personality is one that likes to be busy working.”

	Greeting fans is just one of Ricardo Zonta's many important duties.

During the season, Ricardo doesn’t get much time to relax between testing and GP weekends. But he does have interests other than F1.

“I don’t have much free time, but I like to exercise when I’m at my apartment in Monaco. I swim, bike, and run, but it’s not just to stay in shape. Exercising is my hobby. It lets me relax.”

Talking about his schedule, Zonta says,

“I am really happy to have the chance to drive a lot of different circuits around the world. It’s an honor to contribute to the development of the team. But four days of testing can be long, and I do get tired sometimes. There’s also a lot of travel time, which can be a little rough.”

But Ricardo knows how important his role is to the Panasonic Toyota Racing team. As a member of the team, he is rightly very proud of his work. Lastly, Ricardo says, “This is a very fun job. I can put everything I have into testing and working to improve our reliability and performance. And I think my job is a vital part of our success. Points won in a GP race are the result of a total team effort, so I feel like the points we win as a team count as my points as well.”