Toyota’s new Formula One car and goals for next season
Toyota launched their new Formula One car TF109 with much fanfare and in the way Ferrari did it; they presented it to the whole world online. The new car has wider front wings and narrow rear wings making it quite a spectacle compared to its previous version. Toyota finished fifth in the Constructor’s Championship (Team standings) their drivers Jarno Trulli and Timo Glock finished 9th and 10th respectively. Toyota remains the only Japanese team to survive in the highly popular premier racing sport after Super Aguri and Honda backed out last season. Super Aguri withdrew after the fourth round while Honda left after the full season. Honda’s exit came as a shocker to all as the Japanese giant could not survive worsening financial crunch.
The Toyota drivers are confident of making a mark with the new machine and the new set of rules in the new season. Timo Glock says, “On paper, it looks like it should be a bit easier to overtake but you never know what it will be like on the track until you are in a race situation.” He also said that the big rule change was a huge opportunity for every team because we are all basically starting from scratch. Jarno Trulli the more experienced one is of the opinion that the new rules will bring in a lot of gap among the teams In terms of final standings, according to Trulli, last year’s championship was highly close owing to the standard rules over a period of team, the change in rules Trulli feels will test the adaptability of every team and he predicts a spread out Constructor’s standings.
The whole mood of the Toyota team in general is very positive and hopeful. Chairman and Team Principle of Toyota, Tadashi Yamashina wants victory in the inaugural race at Melbourne next season to boost the morale of the team and aims at least finishing on the podium if not winning every race.
