Minardi yesterday (Tuesday) became the first team to run a Formula One™ car at Ferrari's Fiorano test track since the 2.98-km facility was resurfaced.

The Faenza-based squad fielded a single Minardi PS01 chassis, with the driving duties allocated to Russian driver Sergey Zlobin, and regular Italian test driver Matteo Bobbi.

Zlobin, who is currently competing in the European F3000 championship, was having his first taste of Formula One performance, and the purpose of the test was to give him a chance to acclimatise to the demands of the car, with Bobbi providing advice and a useful "benchmark" for the young Russian.

"I will admit that I was a little worried before the test that things might not turn out as well as they did," Zlobin commented. "The Minardi PS01 is very different from the F3000 car I normally drive - it is much faster, the steering is sharper, and it has very powerful brakes - but in the end, the day turned out really well.

"I am very pleased with the result and wish to thank the team for all their efforts. I had hoped to have a chance to drive in the wet, as I really like such conditions, but the rain only came right at the end of the day, so there was no opportunity. I am now looking forward to the next test, at Mugello, later this month."

His more experienced colleague, Bobbi, added: "Every time I drive a Formula One car, it's a lot of fun. The only problem is that the track is very dirty because of the new surface, so there is not much grip.

"The morning session today was better because the temperature was lower, but as it became warmer this afternoon, the surface became very slippery and the chance was not there to push so hard. I won my fourth Formula Nissan race last weekend, so this test was another nice present for me. I'm now looking forward to our next one, at Mugello."

General manager Gian Carlo Minardi, renowned for his ability to sport young up-and-coming talent, was on hand to watch the young Russian driver's progress. "This has been a good beginning for Sergey!" said the Italian team boss.

"He has driven well for the first time in a Formula One car, but it has not been possible for him to perform to the maximum because of the new track surface here at Fiorano. We will continue working with him when we test again, at Mugello, on September 18. Matteo has done his usual solid driving job, assisting the engineers with their work."

Zlobin set a best time of 1.09.464 over 55 laps, while Bobbi managed a 1.08.148 and completed a total of 25 laps. The lap record set by Michael Schumacher this year, before the track was resurfaced, is 57.476.