Toyota Racing

Formula 1 Team reports for the 2009 F1 season includes race previews, reports and reviews
Ed
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Post by Ed » Mon Jul 27, 2009 1:22 pm

Hungarian Grand Prix - Race Round-Up
Sunday 26 July 2009

Jarno Trulli (Car 9, Chassis TF109-06)
Grid: 11th
Race Classification: 8th (+68.172s)
Pit Stop Laps: 28, 58

Timo Glock (Car 10, Chassis TF109-05)
Grid: 13th
Race Classification: 6th (+35.237s)
Pit Stop Laps: 32, 60

Panasonic Toyota Racing claimed a double points finish thanks to fighting performances from Timo Glock and Jarno Trulli in the Hungarian Grand Prix at the Hungaroring today. They lined up just outside the top 10 after an incredibly close qualifying session but showed their positive intent as soon as the race started. On the super soft Bridgestone Potenza tyres, both made up a position off the line and the first lap ended with Jarno 10th and Timo 12th. A long first stint helped Jarno reach second before his first pit stop, where he took on more super soft tyres, while Timo also reached the top three before pitting. Great work by the pit crew on both occasions helped establish the Toyotas as points contenders. Both drivers were pushing hard on a strategy which called for a short final stint on soft tyres. By that stage points were in their grasp and Jarno fought valiantly to take his sixth top-eight finish of the season. Timo was even aiming for fifth place in the closing stages and recorded a string of fast laps to put the pressure on. He closed the gap but could not pass, ending the race seven places higher than his starting position and collecting points for the sixth time in 2009.

Timo Glock
"I thoroughly enjoyed my race and to finish inside the top six after starting from 13th is a very good result. I have to say thanks to the team for their good work this weekend, especially to my car crew who have done such a great job. Our strategy was really strong today and the car felt spot on, so it was a nice race for me. In the first stint, on such a heavy fuel load, I struggled a little to start with but then I found a good rhythm and made up a lot of time, especially in the second stint. I had a really good feeling for the car and the tyres performed very well; really consistent. This result is better than I expected today so I am happy and it's nice to be back in the points again."

Jarno Trulli
"I said yesterday that I never give up and I think today's result shows that because I made up several positions and finished in the points again. The car felt strong early in the race and I think I had good pace but I was also stuck in traffic and that made things a little tricky. Later on I started to lose a bit of grip but I kept fighting because I knew we could get in the points. It's a pity we qualified outside the top 10 because who knows what could have been possible but I am happy to be in the points again and this is a positive result for the team. Now I am looking forward to the European Grand Prix in Valencia where I hope we will be even stronger."

John Howett - President
"That was a strong team effort and I am pleased with our performance today, especially after the difficult qualifying. The drivers performed exceptionally well to make up so many places; we had a strong strategy and the pit crew did a great job, all of which is very encouraging. We have to understand why we did not show this performance in qualifying but we will be working hard to remedy that for the next race so we can get both cars into the top six. Our factory closes for two weeks at the start of August and that gives us time to gather our strength and come back with renewed vigour in Valencia, where we performed well last year and aim to do so again this time."

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Post by Ed » Mon Aug 17, 2009 7:45 pm

European Grand Prix - Preview

Date: Sunday, 23 August, 2pm CET
Round: 11 of 17
Venue: Valencia Street Circuit
Distance: 5.419km (57 laps)
Lap record: 1min 38.708s (2008)
History: The European Grand Prix title was first used for a stand-alone Formula 1 race in 1983, at Brands Hatch in England. Last year Valencia became the fifth circuit to host the race. Jerez (Spain), Donington Park (England) and Nürburgring (Germany) have also hosted it.

Panasonic Toyota Racing hits the Spanish streets this weekend for the European Grand Prix in Valencia after a four-week summer break. This year marks the second running of the race around Valencia's Americas Cup port, on a circuit which includes a bridge across the harbour and a super-fast second sector where cars hit over 315km/h. The team has happy memories of Valencia, having excelled there last year when Jarno Trulli finished fifth and Timo Glock, despite a heavy cold, took seventh. With the TF109 showing itself to be a step forward on the TF108, hopes are high for a similarly strong performance this weekend. As with the Hungarian Grand Prix three weeks ago, the team again uses the super soft and soft Bridgestone Potenza tyres, making it three consecutive races where the softest compound in the range has been utilised. Having achieved a double points finish thanks to its strong race performance in Hungary on these tyres, the team is confident of another extremely competitive
weekend.

Jarno Trulli (Car 9): "I am really glad to be racing again; it's great to have some time off to relax with my family but my passion is racing so it's good to be getting back to the track. It seems like a long time since the last race so everyone in the team is fired up to come out fighting this weekend. Valencia is not such an exciting circuit for me but that doesn't matter so much if we are strong, which we were last year on this track. Unlike somewhere like Monaco, Valencia is actually very fast for a street circuit so that should suit our car pretty well. In fact, it doesn't really feel much like a street circuit at all because it is so much faster than other city tracks. We were in the top six last year in Valencia and that is my target this season. It was good to have both cars in the points in Hungary. The Valencia track has a different character so it's difficult to predict at this stage but my target is to score as many points as possible."

Timo Glock (Car 10): "I really enjoy street circuits and I generally perform very well on them. Valencia was tricky last year for me because I had a bad cold and it was a real challenge just to finish the race, so I didn't enjoy the weekend as much as I could have. This year I am determined to really have fun in the car and hopefully finish even higher than I managed in 2008. We know from last year that overtaking is very difficult on this track so qualifying will be particularly important, which is a similar situation to the previous race in Hungary. After finishing in the top six from 13th on the grid in Budapest, my goal this weekend is to start as high as possible and give myself the best chance for a good result in the race. I had a relaxing time over the summer break but I also did some fitness work as well and I never stop thinking about racing so I am well prepared for this race."

Pascal Vasselon, Senior General Manager Chassis: "Valencia is by definition a street circuit as the track is based on public roads but in many ways it is different to more typical street circuits like Monaco or Singapore. It is a relatively high-speed track with very long straights; therefore the aerodynamic efficiency requirements are completely different to other street tracks. Unlike Monaco or Singapore, you are not aiming for high downforce, we are looking in the middle of the range, and it is extremely tough on brakes. But in other ways it is still recognisably a street circuit as the barriers are quite close so there is little margin for error. We are confident for this Grand Prix because the circuit corresponds to what appears to be the best aerodynamic efficiency window for our car and we went well there last year. So we are really looking forward to racing again after the summer break and we expect a positive result."


Today, Tomorrow, Toyota This year, as part of a global Toyota campaign, the TF109s feature messages used by local Toyota distributors to thank them for their continuing support of Panasonic Toyota Racing. For the European races 'Today, Tomorrow, Toyota' is inspired by Toyota in Europe.

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Post by Ed » Tue Aug 18, 2009 6:31 pm

European Grand Prix Preview Q+A - John Howett, President

How do you assess the season so far from the team's point of view?
We are more than halfway through the season, having scored several strong results, and we have a competitive car at our disposal. Naturally we want better results and we expected to finish on the podium more frequently, but we are relatively pleased with the fundamental pace of our car. It was very satisfying to start the season so successfully and it was clear we were firmly in the top three for the first four races of the year. We have seen some fluctuations in relative performance since then, we just need to continue to add performance to the car and get the most out of the package that we have.

Has there been a highlight for you so far this season?
The all-Toyota front row in Bahrain was a proud moment for everyone in the team and to see two Toyotas leading the field, setting the fastest lap on the way, was really special. Of course, we all wish it had continued like that until the chequered flag but it wasn't to be. We are in a results business so the highlights for me so far have been our podium finishes, particularly in Australia and Malaysia, because these confirmed our belief that we are serious contenders in 2009. There are plenty of opportunities remaining in 2009 so I firmly believe the highlight of the year is still to come.

Are you happy with the rate of development?
We have been focused and ambitious in our development. Maybe it's not obvious to outsiders just how much development is going into the TF109 but we are pushing extremely hard to improve every conceivable area, with a particular focus on aerodynamics. Our development schedule at the start of the season was very ambitious and we have pushed on with that. We have made several significant steps forward this season which have certainly brought performance increase.

Is Toyota's target still to win a race this season?
Our organisation exists to win races so that is always the goal and this year I believe we are closer than ever to doing that. But the surest way of winning our first Grand Prix is to pursue a relentless development programme, driving performance on. This is a team effort and everyone is working flat-out together to fulfil the huge potential of the TF109. We'll see how the rest of the season goes but we have the passion and dedication to win this year.

How do you assess the performance of Jarno and Timo?
They have delivered a high standard of performance, as we expected, and they have both played their part in delivering a car this year which is genuinely competitive. Timo has been particularly strong in the races while in wet weather he is clearly one of the fastest guys in the field. He is still developing as a driver and he will become even better in the years to come, I am sure of that. We all know that Jarno is incredibly fast over one lap and he continues to show his fighting qualities in the races as well. He remains 100% motivated and he is pushing the team in a very positive way to improve the car.

What about the season in general? How strong is Formula 1?
It has been an exciting season and I think the fans enjoy seeing different teams fighting at the front. However it has probably been overshadowed by 'politics'. Now the new Concorde Agreement has been signed it is important we look forward and look for ways to improve the sport and add value for its stakeholders, particularly the fans. Formula 1 remains an extraordinarily powerful sporting brand and one which continues to enjoy a very large fan base. We should be enormously proud of Formula 1 but we must never become complacent.

Is the team still developing the TF109 or have you already switched development to 2010?
We still have targets to reach this season so we have not even considered switching all development to the 2010 car. Significant work is going on in parallel on the 2010 car, as was always planned, but we are still working hard to extract more performance from the TF109. We have an extremely competitive baseline this year so the challenge is to keep up development and unlock all the potential of our package. We have a duty to ourselves, our partners and fans to push on at full throttle with our development programme but, more importantly, we know the leading cars are not out of reach so we must fight for every bit of extra performance.

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Post by Ed » Sat Aug 22, 2009 4:10 pm

European Grand Prix - Free Practice Round-Up
Friday 21 August 2009

Jarno Trulli (Car 9, Chassis TF109-06)
1st Practice: 18th, 1m 44.638s (+2.178s), 26 laps
2nd Practice: 12th, 1m 40.770s (+1.366s), 32 laps

Timo Glock (Car 10, Chassis TF109-05)
1st Practice: 19th, 1m 44.732s (+2.272s), 28 laps
2nd Practice: 15th, 1m 40.985s (+1.581s), 30 laps

Panasonic Toyota Racing was back in action today after the four-week summer break with the first practice sessions for the European Grand Prix on the streets of Valencia in Spain. Under clear blue skies and a hot summer sun temperatures soared, reaching 30°C and creating track temperatures of 50°C. But both Jarno Trulli and Timo Glock had worked out during the break, as well as relaxing among family and friends, so they were prepared for the challenge. A trouble-free morning session saw both drivers evaluate front wing options while gather information on the soft compound Bridgestone Potenza tyres, with the track surface still relatively dusty. Further set-up evaluations took place in the afternoon as the track conditions improved, along with comparison runs to fully understand both the soft and super soft tyres available this weekend. That also ended without incident and the team has plenty of information to work with to maximise the potential of the TF109 in qualifying tomorrow.

Jarno Trulli
"First of all it is very nice to be back in the car after a long summer break. I am also pleased to be here in the good weather and at a nice track. Basically today was a normal Friday for us without any exceptional situations. Everything went smoothly and we had no troubles so we were able to evaluate the tyres and the set-ups to make sure we are prepared for the rest of the weekend. We still have some work to do to make the most of our car but it is difficult to see a true picture of where stand after practice as you never know exactly what programmes other teams are working on. The car feels okay but we will work to get more performance from it."

Timo Glock
"That was a pretty good day for me overall. The car feels quite positive and balanced which is a promising start to the weekend and we successfully ran through our whole programme. We planned a lot of work today but there were no technical issues and the guys all did a good job so now we have a lot of data to look at overnight. The task now is to fine-tune the car for tomorrow and the race; hopefully we can be strong. It's hard to predict what the order is at the moment because the lap times are close but we will do our best."

Dieter Gass, Chief Engineer Race and Test
"We had some new parts to test throughout the day and we collected plenty of data so we are in a position to make the right choice for tomorrow. This track is not used regularly and as a result we saw a really big circuit evolution, especially in the morning session. Due to our busy programme we had to go out early in that session to complete all our work and on the green track we damaged our tyres. That made first practice a little harder than expected but everything came back to normal in the afternoon. Even though the circuit continued to evolve, the tyres behaved a lot better than in first practice because there was more rubber on the track. We seem to be in a situation where both compounds will be workable for the race without major problems."

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Post by Ed » Sun Aug 23, 2009 12:07 am

European Grand Prix - Qualifying Round-Up
Saturday 22 August 2009

Jarno Trulli (Car 9, Chassis TF109-06)
3rd Practice: 9th, 1m 40.017s (+0.874s), 11 laps
1st Qualifying: 18th, 1m 39.807s (+1.276s), 10 laps

Timo Glock (Car 10, Chassis TF109-05)
3rd Practice: 16th, 1m 40.443s (+1.300s), 10 laps
1st Qualifying: 15th, 1m 39.459s (+0.928s), 9 laps
2nd Qualifying: 13th, 1m 38.991s (+0.915s), 6 laps

Panasonic Toyota Racing endured an afternoon of frustration in qualifying for the European Grand Prix on the streets of Valencia, Spain today. After a disrupted morning practice, in which around 28 minutes were lost due to a red flag for oil on the track, qualifying began under blue skies with air temperatures of 31°C and track temperatures hitting 47°C. In common with recent qualifying sessions, a close fight was expected and the competition was as hot as the conditions on the 5.419km street track around Valencia's America's Cup harbour. Both Jarno Trulli and Timo Glock started first qualifying using the soft compound Bridgestone Potenza tyre but switched to the super soft option for a final stint on low fuel. Timo saved his best for last and progressed thanks to a battling final flying lap but Jarno, who crossed the line just in front of his team-mate, missed out. Timo again used the super soft tyres for his fastest flying laps in second qualifying and ended the session 13th,
just 0.209secs outside of the top 10.

Timo Glock
"That wasn't a good result. We struggled a bit for pace this morning in the short third practice and in the end we were just a couple of tenths away from being in the top 10, which is a pity. I was having trouble in first qualifying but in the second session the car wasn't too bad until the final corners when the rear tyres dropped off quite a lot. I was pushing to the maximum but the tyres didn't really survive. So we have to start again from 13th as we did in Hungary and try to repeat what we did there by finding a way to get into the points. It will be a difficult task but I will do everything I can."

Jarno Trulli
"I was expecting qualifying to be a bit difficult but not as bad as that. This morning the car felt reasonable even if we were a little short of grip. But it was much worse in qualifying; I really had no grip and there was nothing I could do. I just kept pushing and took a few more risks than normal but it didn't work out. I don't know why we struggled so much; it is a mystery to me. For the race tomorrow I can just do my best and see what happens."

Pascal Vasselon - Senior General Manager Chassis
"We can only be unhappy about that result as it is another extremely disappointing qualifying for us. In the last races we have shown that our race pace is better and gives us a chance to move up the field, although obviously that will be tough. Now we have to take a close look at all our options to see how we can fight back as we did in Hungary. Track conditions are changing continuously so we will look at the effect of that on the tyres for the race and try to make the best of it."

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Post by Ed » Mon Aug 24, 2009 12:57 am

European Grand Prix - Race Round-Up
Sunday 23 August 2009

Jarno Trulli (Car 9, Chassis TF109-06)
Grid: 18th
Race Classification: 13th (+64.527s)
Pit Stop Laps: 34

Timo Glock (Car 10, Chassis TF109-05)
Grid: 13th
Race Classification: 14th (+86.519s)
Pit Stop Laps: 1, 32, 49

Panasonic Toyota Racing completed a difficult weekend by missing out on the top 10 in the European Grand Prix on the streets of Valencia, Spain today despite setting the fastest lap of the race. A tough afternoon was expected following a frustrating qualifying session and that proved to be the case on another hot and sunny day. The race started badly when Timo Glock was hit from behind in the first corners, causing a puncture and necessitating a first-lap pit stop for new soft compound Bridgestone Potenza tyres. Jarno Trulli, also starting on the soft tyres, made up three places on the first lap but on a track where overtaking is almost impossible the top 10 proved to be out of reach. Both drivers started on heavy fuel loads and passed half distance before making their first pit stop, each switching to super soft tyres. Timo's strategy featured two relatively short stints on the super soft tyres and he switched to a new set with just a few laps to go. Neither driver gave up and in
the closing stages Timo set the fastest lap of the whole race with a 1min 38.683s effort, Panasonic Toyota Racing's third in Formula 1.

Jarno Trulli
"The start wasn't great and the car didn't improve from qualifying, when I was struggling a lot with a lack of grip. So I had the same problems again today and the grip was nowhere close to where it had been earlier in the weekend during practice. I did my best but there was nothing I could do to improve my position. I hope for a better weekend in Belgium."

Timo Glock
"It was a pity the race started like that because over a race distance we were pretty quick, just like we were in Budapest. At the first corner I had to dive down the inside because the cars in front were braking heavily so I had to avoid them. Then I was hit from behind and basically any hope I had of getting a decent position was finished there and then. But I pushed as hard as possible for the rest of the race to at least get some more data and we showed what might have been by setting the fastest lap right at the end."

John Howett - President
"That was clearly not the result we wanted or expected from this Grand Prix. It has been a very difficult weekend but we must put this behind us and we have another race next week in which to show our true potential. We have to understand why our relative qualifying pace is worse than our relative race pace because our car is reasonably competitive, as Timo showed by setting the fastest lap. We have to get on top of this and take advantage of what the car can offer."

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Post by Ed » Wed Aug 26, 2009 4:36 pm

Belgian Grand Prix - Preview
Monday 24 August 2009

Date: Sunday, 30 August, 2pm CET
Round: 12 of 17
Venue: Spa-Francorchamps
Distance: 7.004km (44 laps)
Lap record: 1min 47.930s (2008)
History: First held in 1925, the Belgian Grand Prix was a regular event at Spa-Francorchamps and gained Formula 1 World Championship status in 1950. Since then it has been absent on six occasions and held at three tracks: Spa-Francorchamps (41 times), Zolder (10) and Nivelles (2).

Panasonic Toyota Racing heads to one of the world's classic race tracks this weekend for the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps, just a short distance from its headquarters in Cologne, Germany. The legendary track is a favourite of many drivers, including Jarno Trulli and Timo Glock, for its challenging combination of corners and undulating, spectacular scenery. The Belgian Grand Prix has a special place in Panasonic Toyota Racing's history as the venue where the team registered its first fastest race lap, in 2005, while before joining Toyota, Jarno started from pole position in 2004. Race results still offer room for improvement though; seventh place is the best so far and bettering that is the target this weekend. The team will use a new aerodynamic package, designed for the lower downforce demands of Spa and Monza, venue for next month's Italian Grand Prix.

Jarno Trulli (Car 9): "Spa is a fantastic track and definitely my favourite in Formula 1. It is a real driver's circuit and that suits me perfectly. There is almost every type of corner, so all the way around the lap you are challenged and I love that. Every time you drive around Spa it is amazing but I have to say it was special to get pole position there a few years ago. It was disappointing not to achieve more last weekend in Valencia but it's a different style of lay-out compared to Spa. The competition in F1 is particularly tough at the moment but we are fighting hard and it would be great to get a good result at such a special place. Spa always gives me a positive feeling and we'll be pushing as hard as we can to get the best possible result."

Timo Glock (Car 10): "Along with Monaco, Spa is my favourite circuit. To drive a Formula 1 car around it is a fantastic experience and it's one of the best feelings you can have in this sport. It's one of those circuits you dream about racing on when you are growing up; it's just a very impressive track. Even though I really enjoy the circuit, I have some frustrating memories of the place; being taken out by another driver on the warm-up lap in 2007 and being penalised last year when I did one of the best final laps of my career to get into the points. That was all down to bad luck so I am due a change! Last year the weather was a big factor in the race and rain always seems to be a risk at Spa, but I have been quick there in the wet and dry so I am excited about this weekend."

Pascal Vasselon, Senior General Manager Chassis: "Spa is a truly spectacular circuit, not just for the drivers, but for anyone who has the privilege of watching a Formula 1 car there, particularly through Eau Rouge. The forces generated through this corner are extreme, especially for the suspension. It will be interesting to see how the 2009 cars behave; even though there is less downforce, we now have more grip with the slick tyres so I expect it to remain flat-out in the dry. Spa is in the medium-low downforce range and it is quite severe on almost all components, with only the brakes having a relatively easy time because there is plenty of cooling and not so much heavy braking. We will use the soft and medium compound tyres and it will be the first time we have used these together at a race weekend this season. However, we have plenty of experience of both so we have a clear idea of what to expect."

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Post by Ed » Sat Aug 29, 2009 1:06 am

Belgian Grand Prix - Free Practice Round-Up
Friday 28 August 2009

Jarno Trulli (Car 9, Chassis TF109-06)
1st Practice: 1st, 1m 49.675s, 13 laps
2nd Practice: 7th, 1m 47.559s (+0.358s), 33 laps

Timo Glock (Car 10, Chassis TF109-05)
1st Practice: 18th, 2m 06.331s (+16.656s), 15 laps
2nd Practice: 2nd, 1m 47.217s (+0.016s), 29 laps

Panasonic Toyota Racing was back on track again today just five days after the European Grand Prix, with the first practice sessions at Spa-Francorchamps. The classic track, venue for this weekend's Belgian Grand Prix, is located just over an hour's drive from the team's technical centre in Cologne, Germany and the weekend started positively for the local team. Spa is famed for changeable weather and that reputation was enhanced in first practice when clouds gathered and rain fell a few minutes in. By that time Jarno Trulli had already set a flying lap, unlike team-mate Timo Glock. With no improvement in conditions, both drivers took to the track later in the session on wet Bridgestone Potenza tyres, gathering information about the TF109's handling in rain. By virtue of his early lap on a dry track, Jarno was fastest but Timo's only timed laps came in the wet, leaving him down the order. Afternoon sun dried the track for second practice, allowing both drivers to concentrate on
evaluating the revised front and rear wings which the team is using at Spa as part of its low-downforce aerodynamic package. In addition, comparison runs between the medium and soft tyres were carried out with Timo ending the day an impressive second fastest and Jarno also in the top eight.

Jarno Trulli
"It was a good Friday for us. Obviously there is still work to do to get the most out of the car and I need to find a bit more grip at the rear end but all in all I am very happy with the results today. I have a good feeling from the car so I hope it will be a competitive weekend for us. The track was wet this morning which meant we couldn't do all of the tests we had planned but we did some laps to better understand the car in those conditions. In the afternoon, when it was dry, the track just got quicker and quicker. I was working mainly on race pace today, getting the car set-up in race trim so we have a good balance for Sunday, and it seems to be reacting well."

Timo Glock
"Whenever you come back to Spa it is a nice experience to do your first laps of the weekend and that was the case again today. It's a great circuit and very satisfying for a driver, especially when you have a competitive car. It's hard to draw any conclusions from the wet session this morning but I am pleased to be second in the afternoon; that is very encouraging. The car felt pretty good and the lap times show that. Still, there are a couple of areas to improve so we will work on those before qualifying and try to find the perfect aerodynamic balance. I am happy with how things went today and I'm interested to see where we are tomorrow."

Dieter Gass, Chief Engineer Race and Test
"Overall it has been a positive day for us. It was a bit unfortunate that the first session was disrupted by wet conditions because dry weather is forecast for the rest of the weekend, so we lost some time to work on the car. In the afternoon we were mainly concentrating on assessing the revised aerodynamic package we have brought to this race. We also looked at the tyres and both specifications seem to be behaving okay. We anticipated some warm-up issues but that doesn't seem to be the case. In general we are quite happy with what we have seen so far so we are looking forward with optimism to the rest of the weekend."

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Post by Ed » Sun Aug 30, 2009 1:05 am

Belgian Grand Prix - Qualifying Round-Up
Saturday 29 August 2009

Jarno Trulli (Car 9, Chassis TF109-06)
3rd Practice: 2nd, 1m 45.462s (+0.074s), 18 laps
1st Qualifying: 2nd, 1m 45.140s (+0.038s), 10 laps
2nd Qualifying: 1st, 1m 44.503s, 5 laps
3rd Qualifying: 2nd, 1m 46.395s (+0.087s), 6 laps

Timo Glock (Car 10, Chassis TF109-05)
3rd Practice: 5th, 1m 45.908s (+0.520s), 18 laps
1st Qualifying: 7th, 1m 45.450s (+0.348s), 9 laps
2nd Qualifying: 7th, 1m 44.877s (+0.374s), 5 laps
3rd Qualifying: 7th, 1m 46.677s, (+0.369s) 6 laps

Panasonic Toyota Racing returned to the front row of the grid in an exciting qualifying session for the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps today. Following a promising final practice session, which saw Jarno Trulli and Timo Glock continue their impressive form from yesterday to record top-six lap times, the team was optimistic for qualifying. That optimism proved to be fully justified as both drivers established themselves as serious contenders from the opening laps in first qualifying. After an initial run on the medium compound Bridgestone Potenza tyres, they switched to soft rubber to cruise into second qualifying, with Jarno already a clear pole position contender. That pattern continued in second qualifying when Jarno was fastest of all on soft tyres, with Timo also fighting for a top-six spot to set the scene for a remarkable final session. Jarno was in the hunt from the beginning, trading fastest times and both drivers, still using the soft tyres, improved on their final
run. Jarno missed pole position by the narrowest of margins but nevertheless claimed his third front-row starting spot of the season while Timo was also on the pace, taking his best qualifying result since the Spanish Grand Prix in May.

Jarno Trulli
"I am very happy to be on the front row again. We have always known that when things go right we have a very competitive car and all weekend we have looked extremely strong. In qualifying I was always in the top two, even though in first qualifying I took it a bit easy. I did a very quick lap in third qualifying and second place gives us a great chance tomorrow. We dropped the downforce a bit yesterday and spent most of the time balancing the car. Then we made a small change to the set-up this morning so I had better handling and traction for qualifying and it worked well. Also, I spent most of the weekend driving on race fuel so I am very happy with how things have turned out and it is looking pretty good for tomorrow. I have to thank the team who have worked really hard to improve and get a result like this; I dedicate it to all my mechanics."

Timo Glock
"Today was a good result for the whole team and it is a nice feeling to be fighting at the front again. My lap was pretty tidy so overall I am happy with it; we have worked hard on improving the qualifying pace and we got our reward today. The team brought a new aero package to this race and it seems to be working well. From the start of the weekend we believed we could be strong here because the car felt quick throughout practice and it's great to carry that speed into qualifying. We had good race pace in Hungary and Valencia so I am optimistic for tomorrow. I hope to finish in the top five; it will not be easy but I'm really looking forward to the challenge."

Pascal Vasselon - Senior General Manager Chassis
"It has been a good weekend for us so far and we are happy to be back at the front. We saw from the start of the weekend that both cars were quick and consistent in all conditions and it is a good feeling. For the first time in three races we have qualified where our race pace has been so the weekend looks promising and we are ready for an exciting Sunday tomorrow. Congratulations to our drivers who have done a very impressive job this weekend; they both work extremely hard and it is very satisfying to see that rewarded. I would also like to say thanks to the people back at the factory, as well as those here at the track. They never give up and it is particularly pleasing to deliver a good performance at Spa, which is so close to the factory in Cologne. Now our clear target is to convert this strong qualifying into a result tomorrow."

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Post by Ed » Mon Aug 31, 2009 12:56 am

Belgian Grand Prix - Race Round-Up
Sunday 30 August 2009

Jarno Trulli (Car 9, Chassis TF109-06)
Grid: 2nd
Race Classification: DNF
Pit Stop Laps: 1, 20

Timo Glock (Car 10, Chassis TF109-05)
Grid: 7th
Race Classification: 10th (+41.490s)
Pit Stop Laps: 12, 32

Panasonic Toyota Racing's bid for a return to the podium in the Belgium Grand Prix came unstuck at the first corner of the race at Spa-Francorchamps today. After a brilliant qualifying, Jarno Trulli lined up second with Timo Glock seventh and the team was a genuine contender for honours. But as Jarno exited the first corner, his front wing was damaged in contact with the rear of Nick Heidfeld's car, forcing him to pit for a replacement. Timo, who also started on the medium compound Bridgestone Potenza tyre, made up places and ended the first lap fourth, with the safety car on track following a midfield accident. The safety car closed up the field and meant Jarno rejoined at the back while Timo kept up the fight in the top six. He changed to soft tyres at his first pit stop but lost time when the team had to switch to the back-up fuel rig and rejoined facing a battle for points. Jarno made his second stop to also take on soft tyres but a lap later his race ended early due to a brake
problem. After his final pit stop, for more soft rubber, Timo rejoined in a battle for points but ultimately missed out.

Timo Glock
"I made a pretty strong start and was running fourth when the safety car came out so we had a good chance of points. But at my first pit stop we had trouble with the fuel rig which cost me time and positions. The crew did well to quickly change to the back-up rig but nevertheless we lost time. Clearly there was a problem with the fuel rig and we have to analyse what happened and prevent any similar problems in the future. I did my best and the car was quite quick but it wasn't to be."

Jarno Trulli
"I can't say how disappointed I am with that race. I was really expecting a strong result because we were in great shape after qualifying. But at the first corner I was right behind Heidfeld and at the exit I expected him to pull away faster than he did. I'm not sure if he had a problem but I just touched him slightly and that broke the front wing. It was vibrating a lot so I had no choice but to make a pit stop. There was nothing I could do after that and in the end the team saw a problem with brake wear and decided it was safer to stop."

Tadashi Yamashina - Team Principal
"Unfortunately we couldn't make the most of the car today, despite having such a promising grid position. I am sorry for our supporters because everyone was expecting a much better result. Jarno's race was decided on the first lap and Timo had a problem with the fuel rig which prevented him scoring points. So it was a very frustrating day for us, particularly because the car is competitive and we achieved our target of a significant improvement in qualifying. We will work at the factory to solve the fuel rig issue and get more out of the car for the Italian Grand Prix."

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Post by Ed » Mon Sep 07, 2009 10:21 pm

Italian Grand Prix - Preview

Date: Sunday, 13 September, 2pm CET
Round: 13 of 17
Venue: Monza
Distance: 5.793km (53 laps)
Lap record: 1min 21.046s (2004)
History: Monza first held the Italian Grand Prix in 1921 and the race has been part of the Formula 1 World Championship since 1950. Monza has held all bar one of those races, with Imola hosting in 1980.

Panasonic Toyota Racing travels to another of Formula 1's most historic venues for the Italian Grand Prix this weekend at Monza. The track is high speed and was a venue on the original World Championship calendar, both attributes it shares with Spa-Francorchamps, host of the Belgian Grand Prix two weeks ago. The Italian Grand Prix is not only hallowed ground for Formula 1; it is also home turf for Jarno Trulli whose best finish at Monza was the fourth place he secured in 2002. Timo Glock has happy memories of the track having won and finished third in the two GP2 races there in 2007. Toyota's Monza highlights include fifth and sixth place finishes in 2005 while the team has qualified in the top 10 on five of its seven visits. Monza is characterised by long straights and tight chicanes, so the team will bring a similar low-downforce aerodynamic package as used at Spa with some adjustments. After regaining its qualifying form in Spa, the team is aiming for a return to the points this
weekend.

Jarno Trulli (Car 9): "It is always a great occasion for me to be racing in front of the Italian fans and I really love the atmosphere at Monza. Of course, this is a home race for me so I have a lot of supporters in the grandstands and I really enjoy competing in front of such passionate fans. It would mean a lot to me to achieve a strong result in this race and I will be doing everything I can to do that. It was very encouraging in Belgium to start on the front row and hopefully this is a sign that we are now able to get the full potential out of the car in qualifying. I was unlucky in the race but I enjoyed the chance to fight at the front and I hope to be able to do that again in Italy. Our car looked quite strong at Spa and there will be a few changes for this weekend too; I am sure the competition will be very tight but we have the chance to get back in the points. Monza would be the perfect place to return to form so I am ready for the challenge."

Timo Glock (Car 10): "Monza is all about speed but my memories of the track are of the rain last year because the whole weekend was wet. We got it right in qualifying and looked really strong for the race, but the conditions changed at the worst possible time so we missed the podium. The atmosphere is always incredible at Monza and it is a special experience to race there in front of such passionate fans. Every Formula 1 driver loves driving fast so Monza is obviously a fun place to race because it is all long straights broken up by chicanes, and the Lesmo corners are really exciting. Our car was competitive in Spa so it was a pity things didn't go well in the race, although it was a promising sign to see how well we qualified. Our target is again to be both in the top eight on Saturday because this gives us the best chance of getting the kind of result our car is capable of. I'm raring to go for this weekend and I'm determined to give the team a result to celebrate."

Pascal Vasselon, Senior General Manager Chassis: "In the past we always prepared a complete specific aerodynamic package for Monza but it is a little different this year. Considering the reduced downforce levels, as well as their proximity on the calendar, we will use a similar package to Spa because these are now the only two tracks requiring significantly reduced drag compared to our baseline configuration. As Monza remains the most demanding in terms of top speed we will have updates to our front and rear wings and we expect to be competitive again. But Monza is different to Spa because of the chicanes, which generate greater braking energy and require good braking stability. We will have a heavy-duty brake configuration with improved cooling so that the excessive wear Jarno suffered in the race at Spa should not be repeated. Our package performed well in Belgium and we were unfortunate that other circumstances prevented us from fighting for the podium. But that's what racing is about and we will fight hard again this weekend."

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Post by Ed » Thu Sep 10, 2009 11:11 am

Italian Grand Prix Preview Q+A - Jarno Trulli

Is it different for you to be racing in your home Grand Prix this weekend?
For me, the Italian Grand Prix is a very special occasion and I always look forward to this weekend. It's great to drive in front of your own fans and there are always a lot of people supporting me at Monza. In the past we had two Grands Prix in Italy, plus some testing, but this weekend is the only time I will be driving on my home ground this year and I only live a couple of hours or so away in St Moritz so it is really local for me.

Why is Monza such a special venue for Formula 1?
Because it is in Italy and the Italians make it special! Monza is just a very different circuit from any other in Formula 1 because you have the long straights, high speeds, low downforce, heavy braking and the chicanes. It is not the most technical circuit but it is unique in Formula 1. I think the Italian fans make Monza really special as they are passionate about motorsport in general, whether it is Formula 1 or whatever. The Italian Grand Prix is a major event for all Italians and Monza is the home of Italian motorsport.

Do your home fans motivate you more?
It's impossible to be more motivated or to push harder than I am doing! As a driver you do notice when you have more support than usual and you appreciate it, but there's no way you can try any harder. If I wasn't giving 100% at all Grands Prix, I would not be doing my job, so in that sense Monza is just like any other race. Perhaps it would just make it a bit sweeter if I could get a great result...

What was it like to race in the wet at Monza last year?
Monza is definitely a track where you want good weather. Wet conditions are not the best for this track, especially on the long straights where visibility is virtually zero. At the moment the forecast looks much better than last year which is good for everyone.

What are the key attributes you need in a car to be quick at Monza?
The main things are good top speed because of the very long straights then braking stability and the ability to ride the kerbs at the chicanes. You can gain a tenth of a second or so at each chicane if you can ride the kerbs well so you have to find a set-up which allows you to jump over the kerbs smoothly and get good traction at the exit. Exit speed is as important as top speed because if you are slow out of a corner you carry that disadvantage all the way down the long straight.

What are your memories of racing at Monza?
I think my first visit to Monza was in 1997 when I raced there in Formula 1 for the first time. From what I can remember it went quite well and I finished in the top 10. I have been strong several times at Monza; I finished fourth in 2002 to equal my team's best result of that season and in 2005 I was fifth. But I've had some really bad luck as well. Three times in four years I qualified in the top six and was in good shape but had to retire on the first lap, twice because I was hit from behind and once because of a technical problem. This year I want to create some more positive memories!

Is there one thing you particularly look forward to at Monza?
Apart from racing in front of my home fans it is definitely the food. I am Italian so there is only one type of food for me! There are so many great places to eat around Monza but the hotel where I stay has a very good restaurant so the Italian Grand Prix weekend is my favourite from that point of view.

Do you expect a competitive weekend?
I hope we can be competitive. It is quite hard to predict this season because our relative performance has changed from race to race sometimes. We were strong in Spa which has some similar characteristics to Monza, and it was encouraging to see our improvement in qualifying. I don't want to make any predictions but as always I will give my all and I hope we can be fighting at the front again.

Can you explain what is happening on Saturday night?
Since the terrible earthquake in Abruzzo, which is my home region, I have been raising money to help the victims through the Abruzzo nel Cuore appeal. We have already raised over Euro75,000 through www.abruzzonelcuore.net and we expect to raise a lot more on Saturday night in Monza. There will be an auction of overalls and helmets from different drivers, as well as watches from Audemars Piguet, to raise money for Abruzzo. We have had support from the other drivers and the other teams. We also received a lot of help, in terms of donations and organisation, from Audemars Piguet and I'm sure this will really help the people of Abruzzo. The money we are raising will be used to help them rebuild their lives and I hope we can build a new school or something useful for their community.

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Post by Ed » Sat Sep 12, 2009 1:22 am

Italian Grand Prix - Free Practice Round-Up
Friday 11 September 2009

Jarno Trulli (Car 9, Chassis TF109-06)
1st Practice: 19th, 1m 26.020s, (+2.084s) 23 laps
2nd Practice: 13th, 1m 24.967s (+1.043s), 40 laps

Timo Glock (Car 10, Chassis TF109-05)
1st Practice: 20th, 1m 26.325s (+2.389s), 17 laps
2nd Practice: 6th, 1m 24.634s (+0.710s), 36 laps

Panasonic Toyota Racing completed the first two practice sessions for the Italian Grand Prix at Monza today. This weekend's race marks the final Grand Prix in Europe in 2009 and is also a home race for Jarno Trulli. The unique demands of Monza, which is the fastest circuit on the calendar, meant both Jarno and Timo Glock had new low-downforce aerodynamic items to test today. These included circuit-specific revisions to the front and rear wings. They both completed their programmes on a sunny day, in which air temperatures reached 28°C and track temperatures 41°C. The morning session saw both drivers complete a series of set-up comparisons on the medium compound Bridgestone Potenza tyres while further set-up fine-tuning was carried out in the afternoon. During that session Jarno and Timo also tested the soft compound tyres, gathering data which will allow the team to effectively plan its strategy for the weekend.

Jarno Trulli
"That was a typical Friday for me and it went smoothly with no problems. As usual we tested the two different tyres and also worked on setting up the car. We made some improvements from first practice so in the afternoon I was happier with the car. We still have some work to do to improve and get the best out of it around this track so we will look at all the data to improve the set-up for qualifying. Today we also experienced the new kerbs at the chicanes for the first time and these seem to be okay; I had no problem with them. It's nice to be back in Italy, driving in front of my home fans, and I just hope I can do a good race on Sunday."

Timo Glock
"It was a reasonably good second practice. It was tougher in the morning but we made some changes to the set-up and in the afternoon the car felt better overall. We got more performance from the car and got through our normal programme with no issues. The car feels pretty good but of course we need to work on improving our lap times again. If we can find the right aero balance I think we will be okay here. The new kerbs are fine; they are different to last year but still acceptable. The weather was also quite a bit different to last year's rain and that was definitely an improvement."

Dieter Gass, Chief Engineer Race and Test
"Monza is always a very particular circuit to race on but due to the lack of testing this year the difference compared to other tracks seems to be even bigger. You have the usual problems of trying to get used to running much lower downforce, which obviously means you are lacking grip compared to your baseline configuration. We had a decent day and went through our programme which has given us plenty of information to work with so we will continue working on the car balance prior to qualifying. In terms of tyres, the medium and soft compounds seem to behave pretty much as expected so we don't expect any major issues as both appear to be reasonable."

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Post by Ed » Sun Sep 13, 2009 1:06 am

Italian Grand Prix - Qualifying Round-Up
Saturday 12 September 2009

Jarno Trulli (Car 9, Chassis TF109-06)
3rd Practice: 13th, 1m 24.326s (+0.990s), 17 laps
1st Qualifying: 15th, 1m 24.014s (+0.665s), 12 laps
2nd Qualifying: 11th, 1m 23.611s (+0.638), 8 laps

Timo Glock (Car 10, Chassis TF109-05)
3rd Practice: 9th, 1m 23.959s (+0.623s), 21 laps
1st Qualifying: 16th, 1m 24.036s (+0.687s), 11 laps

Panasonic Toyota Racing suffered last-minute disappointment at Monza today during qualifying for the Italian Grand Prix. Timo Glock and Jarno Trulli came within a whisker of progressing to second and third qualifying respectively, only to be denied at the very last moment. Both drivers started first qualifying on the medium compound Bridgestone Potenza tyres and steadily improved their lap times before switching to the soft options. Jarno delivered his best time on his final lap to progress but Timo missed out by just 0.022s after encountering traffic in a session where the top 19 were covered by less than a second. Jarno was therefore the only Toyota in second qualifying and he pulled out all the stops on the medium tyres to give himself a great chance of reaching the top 10. He did not improve during a last stint on soft tyres but still looked likely to reach third qualifying until the very last act of the session when he dropped down to 11th.

Jarno Trulli
"I am happy with my lap in second qualifying because that was the maximum we could get out of the car. Of course it is not satisfying to be 11th and it's extremely disappointing to miss out on the top 10 right at the end of the session like that. I would have been really happy to be in the top 10 considering the performance in practice, which suggested it would be a tough qualifying for us. It is going to be hard tomorrow but 11th is not far away from the top eight so we need to fight and try to bring home some points."

Timo Glock
"It's frustrating to miss out on second qualifying when I was only sixth tenths away from the fastest lap of the session. We looked quite promising this morning but we didn't transfer all of that speed to qualifying, and I wasn't helped by traffic. On my last lap on the soft tyres another car went straight on at the chicane and I had to follow him, which destroyed my lap. I had the potential to qualify higher but if you lose a little bit of time like that it is very costly. It will be tough in the race tomorrow but we will work on a strategy to make up some places and do our best as always."

Pascal Vasselon - Senior General Manager Chassis
"It was the kind of result we were expecting but not the result we wanted. Again the field has been extremely tight and in each session we have seen that several cars are covered by just one or two tenths. Nevertheless, our level of competitiveness was nowhere near the level we had in Spa when we qualified on the front row and we are not happy about that. For the race we will choose a strategy to give us the best chance of moving up the field. We have more freedom with our fuel load compared to the top 10 and we will make the most of the opportunities available; there are still good chances to finish in the points."

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Post by Ed » Mon Sep 14, 2009 12:30 am

Italian Grand Prix - Race Round-Up
Sunday 13 September 2009

Jarno Trulli (Car 9, Chassis TF109-06)
Grid: 11th
Race Classification: 14th (+1 lap)
Pit Stop Laps: 35

Timo Glock (Car 10, Chassis TF109-05)
Grid: 16th
Race Classification: 11th (+2m 43.925s)
Pit Stop Laps: 38

Panasonic Toyota Racing concluded the European leg of the 2009 Formula 1 season with a tough Italian Grand Prix at Monza today which saw neither TF109 finish in the points. Jarno Trulli and Timo Glock both started with extremely heavy fuel loads from the midfield in a bid to make up places. Jarno, starting on the medium compound Bridgestone Potenza tyres, jostled for position at the first chicane while Timo, on the soft tyres, had to take avoiding action after being squeezed to the outside. Jarno finished the first lap in 13th with Timo 17th. Both drivers fought hard during long first stints, with Jarno pitting from the top 10 on lap 35 and Timo doing likewise three laps later. Timo, now on the medium tyres, emerged directly next to Jarno, on medium rubber, at the first chicane and they battled for position for half a lap. Jarno completed the lap in 12th with Timo just behind and set about pressuring Kazuki Nakajima in front. He got alongside under braking for the first chicane at
the start of lap 48 but bounced across the kerbs and again rejoined alongside Timo. Another exciting battle concluded when Jarno ran wide, leaving him 14th and Timo 11th as the chequered flag flew with the field behind the safety car.

Timo Glock
"It wasn't the result we wanted but at least it was good entertainment. I had already been fighting with Jarno when I came out of the pits; it was quite tight but he got ahead. Then towards the end I could see him try to overtake Kazuki Nakajima but he hit the kerbs and bounced wide. We had a nice battle and made sure we kept it clean. In the end I was on the inside so I won the fight. Overall it was never going to be easy to get much out of this race but Singapore is a different track and we will have some new bits on the car so we should have a decent chance."

Jarno Trulli
"We expected a difficult race and that's what we got. I was behind (Kazuki) Nakajima for much of the race and I felt I was able to go faster but it was difficult to overtake. Towards the end I was getting a bit bored to be honest and I tried really hard to find an opportunity. As soon as I saw a little space I just dived in and braked very late. The move was almost okay but there wasn't quite enough space and unfortunately I hit the kerb and then I had a bit of a fight with Timo. That was good fun and I enjoyed it. I was always on the outside line but I kept fighting because it is better to have a bit of action and in the end it doesn't make much different if I am 11th or 14th. At least I tried because it wasn't an exciting race for me otherwise."

Tadashi Yamashina - Team Principal
"It was a disappointing race result for us after a frustrating qualifying but we knew it was likely to be hard for us here. At least we provided some exciting action for the fans with Jarno and Timo battling towards the end of the race; they showed their fighting spirit. Monza is a unique circuit which places unique demands on the car so I am convinced we will improve for the next race in Singapore. It is a completely different kind of track and we will work hard to get a better result there."

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