Italians rave about Williams test

Each of the drivers completed a day and a half of running at the Spanish circuit, running alongside Juan Panblo Montoya and regular Williams' tester Marce Gene.

Pantano, who finished runner-up in this year's Formula 3000 championship, has previously tested a Formula 1 car but particularly enjoyed working with the Williams team. "It was a fantastic experience as the Williams BMW is one of the best cars in Formula 1 and I was very excited to have this opportunity," he said. "I found the atmosphere within the team friendly and professional. This provided the best possible environment in which to perform."

Liuzzi was a German Formula 3 front-runner this season, and the test marked the first time he had driven an F1 car. "I will never forget the pure thrill of my first ever lap and the experience of driving a Formula 1 car," he said. "The team was fantastic, gave me great support and was very friendly, which resulted in an amazing three days."

Sam Michael, chief operations engineer for the team, was impressed with both drivers. "They both did a good job, working well with the engineers and making a good contribution to an extensive job sheet," he said.