Pirelli has begun its first tyre development test as it prepares for its return to Formula One for the first time in 20 years.

As previously reported, Nick Heidfeld will use Toyota's car from last year, the TF109, to test the new rubber that all the teams will use from 2011 onwards.

The TF109 was the last Formula One car produced by the Japanese manufacturer before it withdrew at the end of 2009 after scoring five podium finishes in its final season. As such the Toyota provides contemporary technology and performance with which to test the new Pirelli PZero Formula One tyres to the limit, but does not hand an advantage to any current team.

Heidfeld will drive the car in a series of test sessions on several different circuits. The tyre development work will focus on finding the delicate compromise needed between performance, durability and spectacle next season.

Pirelli's development testing is getting underway less than two months after it concluded a three-year agreement with the FIA as the sole tyre supplier to the Formula One World Championship. In addition to this, Pirelli will also supply GP2 and GP3.

Following Heidfeld's on-track work with the Toyota, all the current Formula One teams will get the chance to test the new tyres after the season-closing Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in November.

Pirelli's new tyres will be carefully designed to cater not only for the needs of the teams, ensuring a stable and consistent product, but also for the wishes of the fans to see exciting and close racing.

Consequently, Heidfeld's role will be vital as Pirelli fine-tunes the specification of the four compounds, two of which will be used in each race next year, as per the current regulations. Heidfeld's consistency is a crucial asset in this task: the German holds the record for the highest number of consecutive race classifications (41) and he also managed to finish every race during the 2008 season.

"We're delighted to welcome Nick into the Pirelli family, and we're confident that he'll do a great job for us," said Pirelli's Motorsport Director Paul Hembery. "The role of test driver is a crucial one, so we were looking for a driver who had plenty of recent Formula One experience, the speed to push our new tyres as hard as possible, and the consistency to provide reliable simulations, as well as the analytical skills to relay information accurately to our engineers. Nick fits the bill in every respect and we're very pleased to have secured his services and obviously thankful to Mercedes for agreeing to release Nick from his contract. As for the car, we have a policy of complete impartiality, so we did not want to favour any existing team. The Toyota was the perfect solution, as it is a contemporary racing machine with proven speed and reliability but without links to any of the manufacturers currently competing in Formula One. I'm confident that we have an extremely good package that will give us every opportunity to maximise the potential of our tyres prior to the start of next season."

"It's a great privilege for me to join Pirelli in order to carry out this vital work," added Heidfeld, "and I am very grateful to Mercedes for releasing me from my contract to take on this role. Through the experience I have built up over the years, I'm confident that I will be able to provide Pirelli with some important feedback regarding the development of next year's tyres. I've got a lot to give but I haven't been driving so much this year, so it is good to get started! Together, I'm sure that we can create a dynamic range of tyres that will make Formula One an even more exciting sport in the future."