Toyota completes Nurburgring test

The Finn stopped the clocks at 1m19.61s around the 2.83-mile track, compared with Schuey's 1m14.96s qualifying time. But the emphasis seems to be on distance covered rather than out and out speed, with Salo and team mate Allan McNish completing more than 300 laps between them.

"This was a pretty good test for us," said Salo. "We managed to do a lot of laps and we did all the engine mapping we were supposed to do here."

Developing launch and traction control, as well as practising pitstops, was on the Cologne-based outfit's to-do list in Germany, and despite McNish being just slower than his team mate for the second test in succession, the Scot was content with the progress being made.

"We worked on traction control and found some gains," he said. "There was also some more work on aerodynamics, but the main thing was traction control and overall I think this was very encouraging for myself and Mika."

Toyota takes to the track again in two weeks' time when it heads to the Hungaroring for three days of testing between September 4-6.


Mika Salo, 1m19.61s, 181 laps
Allan McNish, 1m20.02s, 142laps