The 2007 season is a special one for Panasonic Toyota Racing as the team has two significant milestones to celebrate. This year marks 50 years since Toyota’s first foray into motorsport so the start of the season has many in the paddock looking back on five decades of international success.
But that is not the only anniversary of note. Among those casting their eyes back to times past are race drivers Ralf Schumacher and Jarno Trulli as they celebrate a decade since their Formula 1 debuts in Australia in 1997.
Both drivers have played an important role in Toyota’s 50 years in motorsport, helping establish Panasonic Toyota Racing in Formula 1 and move the team closer to its goal of one day becoming World Champions.
Of course, the routes taken by Toyota, Ralf and Jarno to the 2007 Australian Grand Prix were long and varied. For Toyota, it all began in 1957 when a single Toyopet Crown was entered into the Mobilgas Round Australia Rally, not only marking Toyota’s first motorsport activity, but also the first time a Japanese manufacturer had competed on the international stage.
Kunio Kaminomura and Kojiro Kondo were charged with the momentous task of navigating around Australia in 19 days over 10,563 miles. Little were they to know that they were blazing a trail for Toyota success in the future.
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