Olivier Panis is set to retire from
Formula One for a second time, ending the relationship with the
Toyota works team which saw him prolong his career in a testing and development role.
The Frenchman retired from a race role at the end of the 2004 season, but has kept his hand in by assisting the
Toyota team in a secondary test role alongside Ricardo Zonta. His decision to quit therefore eliminates the team's current testing strength, as Zonta has confirmed that he is on his way to
Renault next season.
"Toyota has made much progress and I am happy to have been a part of this," commented Panis, whose twelve-year F1 career thus ends when his current contract expires in December. "The team was always very motivated and still is. I am really positive about the job the whole team has done and will miss everyone I have worked with."
The former Ligier, Prost, BAR and
Toyota race driver, who turned 40 just two weeks ago, has decided that he wants one last fling in the competition arena, and will be evaluating options in that direction once his association with the Cologne-based team is over.
"I know that it is time for me to move on and fulfil my wish to race again," he confirmed. "I am looking forward to new racing challenges outside Formula One, but will keep a close eye on Toyota's performance and hope they achieve all the success they deserve."
Team principal Tsutomu Tomita thanked the Frenchman for his contribution, claiming that his 'technical experience and human qualities greatly contributed to our team development as much as to the improvement of its overall performance'.
Former
Renault test driver Franck Montagny is expected to be confirmed as Toyota's new test driver in the near future, although the current Super Aguri reserve is also being linked to a possible Champ Car role before the end of the year. Panis' decision could also allow
Toyota to dip into its driver development programme and groom a protege towards an F1 career.
With Ryan Briscoe apparently intent on securing a future in the United States, favourite for any F1 role should be
GP2 driver Franck Perera, who impressed on occasions in his debut season in the F1 feeder series.
Toyota may, however, decide to promote Japanese talent, and has Kohei Hirate,
Kamui Kobayashi and
Kazuki Nakajima all warming seats in the same
F3 Euroseries that has produced stars of the future such as Lewis Hamilton,
Robert Kubica and Sebastien Vettel. Dutchman Henkie Waldschmidt and Englishman Martin Plowman only joined the young driver scheme for 2006 and are unlikely to be plucked from Formula Renault.
