New lap record at Laguna Seca!

[Benz02]

Ricardo Zonta (sp?) shattered the lap record several times this weekend at Laguna Seca in a 2006 Toyota formula 1 car. 1:06.3 @ 121.5 mph was the final best lap and it was simply unholy to behold. Oh yeah, the historic races were awesome as well, but a noticable lack of 2002's in the BMW corral..I think only 3 0r 4. One other thing: there was a Tii on the auction block at the RM auctions this year! It was great to see it sitting amongst all that exotic flash.

[cj]

I can only imagine how that Toyota F1 (or any v10 F1 motor for that fact)motor sounds at Laguna Seca. It must have been magic!

Cris

[Benz02]

Dude, it was magic. The guy was hitting 195 on the straight, and didn't even brake until after the last marker! I've been going to Seca my whole life and I thought I'd seen it all. He did a bunch of gratuitous donuts too, the announcer joking that, "he'd just written his name in rubber on the track!"

[cj]

I take it they lifted the noise restrictions for that car?

Cris

[Benz02]

For the Historics, I don't think there are any restrictions. Also, Toyota was a huge sponser this year, so they probably made an exception (rightly so!). Last year they did the same thing with a Ferrari F1 car, but he couldn't touch the then record of 1:07.7. I think he was managing 1:09's. Ferrari's probably pissed right now, being shown up like that...hehehe.

[ryanOC]

i got to enjoy one of the 2003 ferrari formula one cliente (sp?) cars being driven around laguna seca in 2004

what a great sound.... sends the hair on my arms straight up

[Benz02]

I guess it was in '04 that the Ferrari ran...my bad. My brain's still spinning from this car week overload. I still can't get over how late Zonta was braking...almost as if he wasn't. The next best sound to that car was the trio of Ferrari 250 GT SWB's at the front of their group, just rippin'. The best race was the Trans Am series, '66-'72--awesome dicing between two Mustangs and a Camaro. The 'Stangs won at the last second.

[02Nut]

The Toyota F1 car was fantastic! Although its hardly a "historic" race car, it was probably the most watched car at the event (like the Ferrari F1-2003 a couple of years back).

Regarding lap times, the Moto GP bikes from a month earlier were lapping about 15-16s slower in the 1:22 min range.

Did you see the Mobile Tradition Inka Tii in the BMW Motorsports Paddock area? When I was looking at the Tii, I noticed it actually has a current VIN number.

[DavinSF]

With some other incredible BMWs too. I'll post a whole bunch of pics tomorrow. What a weekend!

[blue7500]

Here's the video of the laps that Zonta did today. Sorry for the shakiness, I was standing on a wall holding the camera with my hands. :/

http://home.comcast.net/~blue7600/f1demo_agk.avi

[NickVyse]

I can only imagine how that Toyota F1 (or any v10 F1 motor for that fact)motor sounds at Laguna Seca. It must have been magic!

Cris

They changed to V8's for 2006 - only Torro Rosso, the Red Bull racing sister team (which was the old Minardi) has a rev limited V10.

[cj]

I can only imagine how that Toyota F1 (or any v10 F1 motor for that fact)motor sounds at Laguna Seca. It must have been magic!

Cris

They changed to V8's for 2006 - only Torro Rosso, the Red Bull racing sister team (which was the old Minardi) has a rev limited V10.

Did they run a new car or an old one? I am aware that they did a change to V8's but I coul'nt imagine them running it for exibition.

Cris

[abq_redeye]

Donut's anyone:

http://rabbit.circa.ufl.edu/albums/alvin/MOV09866.mpg

[Benz02]

The F1 car was a V8! At least that's what the announcer said. Something like 745 hp I think. I saw that Tii in the paddock as well, next to the CSL.

[Shad]

It was the TF106 chasis and current V8 motor, only slightly "detuned" for the exhibition circuit and for safety at Laguna. The suspension was softened about as far as they could go...and even still Zonta was complaining of back pains on such a "bumpy track". (I guess he didn't notice the bumps the last time he was here with Mercedes taking the checkered flag...) After Laguna the car was sent for testing for the next F1 race, I guess they rotate the stock...giving each car a few races and a few exhibition events. So it was the real deal out there...only running at about 85%.

I was attached to the team as a liason for the weekend, so I'm having a hard time wiping the smile off my face after having such open access to the car and team. (I was the guy running Zonta around in the golf cart most of the weekend...nice guy.) So much fun hearing that car fire up four times a day...gonna miss that.

On a 2002 note: When I first met the team on Wednesday I was wearing my "2002FAQ" t-shirt and the crew leader pointed and blurted out with a big smile: "Nice Car!", the team laughed and gave thumbs up signs...the Toyota rep that was cut off during the exchange was not amused. Oh well, gotta love a japanese F1 car with an all german crew!

...and btw, they said the motor wouldn't fit in an '02. Damn...