Minardi kick off final test.

Minardi has kicked off the final test of its 21-year Formula One history at the Vallelunga circuit in Italy.

Although the team passed into Red Bull ownership at the start of the month following the buy-out of the team earlier this year, the testing commitment - which was organised prior to the sale of the team, has been honoured to allow a number of young drivers to have their first taste of Formula One performance.

Regular test driver Chanoch Nissany ran throughout the opening day of the test session where he was joined by Spaniard Roldan Rodriguez and Italian Luca Filippi who both completed 20 laps of the Italian circuit.

Tomorrow [Tuesday] will see Brit Katherine Legge get her first chance at the wheel of an F1 machine, while Uruguayan Juan Caceres and another Italian Davide Rigon will also be out on track.

In addition to three Minardi Cosworth PS05 chassis and a pair of PS04Bs, present at Vallelunga, there will be four of the Ledbury-based F1x2 two-seaters running during the course of the four day test, with 2005 Minardi drivers Christijan Albers, Robert Doornbos and Patrick Friesacher, as well as Gianni Morbidelli, Matteo Bobbi and Gabriele Lancieri at the wheel.

Testing times - Vallelunga (day one):

1. Luca FilippiMinardi-Cosworth 1min 21.09secs
2. Roldan Rodriquez Minardi-Cosworth 1min 23.14secs
3. Chanoch Nissany Minardi-Cosworth 1min 29.33secs

All times unofficial - courtesy Minardi