Portugal Travel

Toyota to fly with new car

Wednesday, 21 January 2009 00:48

{mosimage} January 15, 2009 PARIS - Toyota, the only Japanese team left in Formula One after Honda and Super Aguri fell victim to the credit crunch last year, unveiled their new car for the 2009 season on Thursday. The Japanese manufacturer is preparing for its eighth season in the sport and is pinning its hopes on the TF109 to produce its first ever grand prix victory. Following Ferrari's example on Monday Toyota presented their 2009 car to the public for the first time online on their official website. Incorporating the latest raft of rule changes the car looks markedly different to its predecessor, with wider front wings and narrower rear wings and is set to start pre-season testing on Monday in Portugal. Team chairman Tadashi Yamashina hopes the car will prove a winner. "Our target this year is to fight to win the first race for Toyota in Formula 1." Last season Toyota finished fifth in the constructors' championship with drivers Jarno Trulli and Timo Glock coming in ninth and 10th respectively in the drivers' standings. Yamashina commented: "In my opinion Toyota has one of the best driver line-ups in Formula 1 and I am excited to see what they can do with the TF109. "Both drivers proved last season that if we give them a competitive car they are capable of fighting with the best in the world, so our challenge this year is to deliver a car which will allow them to do this more often." Glock is confident he can adapt to the new generation of F1 cars featuring lower downforce, slick tyres and adjustable front wings. "If you look back at the cars I have been racing for the last five years they have all been quite different, with the 2004 Jordan, then Champ Car, GP2 and the Toyota TF108, and I have been competitive in each of them," the 26-year-old German said. "That shows how quickly I can adapt to a different car so I don't have any concerns at all about adjusting to the 2009-style Formula 1 cars." The more experienced Trulli, in his fifth season with Toyota and his 13th overall in F1, says he still has plenty he wants to achieve in the sport. "My dream now is to win the first race for Toyota," the 34-year-old Italian explained. "I have now spent longer racing for Toyota in Formula 1 than any other driver and I have seen the huge progress that has been made since I joined in 2004. "It has been a long journey and we have had ups and downs but we have never given up or lost faith. It was fantastic to be back on the podium last year, as well as leading several races, and my target is to enjoy more of those moments." Toyota and the rest of the 2009 grid come under orders for the first race of the season, the Australian Grand Prix, in Melbourne on March 29. advertisement < Prev   Next >