Toyota unveiled its 2009 Formula One challenger, the TF109, with the stated goal of winning their first race and regularly challenging for podium results.
“The goal for me is clear: we want to win our first race,” said team president John Howett. “To put ourselves in the best possible position to fight for our first victory, we need to be consistently challenging for the podium and scoring big points regularly.”
“We are hungry to win and ready to win, there should be no doubt about that. The new regulations pose an extra challenge but at the same time offer an opportunity. We have everything we need to win; we have some exceptionally talented people and huge motivation to succeed so now it is down to us to actually make it happen.”
Toyota finished fifth last season in the constructors championship, its best showing since 2005. Timo Glock came the closest to scoring the team’s first win with a second place result in Hungary last year while Jarno Trulli was third in France. Those were the first podium results for the team in two years.
New rules and regulations mean the TF109 looks very different from its predecessor, mostly because of changes to the car’s aerodynamics. Just like Ferrari’s F60 — also revealed on the Web this week — the front wings are wider while the rear wings are higher and narrower.
Toyota has not had an F1 victory in seven years despite one of the sport’s largest budgets. It is cutting spending on the team, but the Japanese auto manufacturer intends to remain in the sport despite expectations that the company will record its first yearly operating loss in seven decades.
“Toyota has come to an age and a situation where we really need to deliver, to justify that we’re in F1,” driver Jarno Trulli said. “I wouldn’t say (a victory) is vital, but it’s very important.”
“Somehow I’m confident, even in this climate of tension, distraction and difficulties,” Trulli said. “I still feel I can do it.”
“I still have plenty I want to achieve in Formula One but my dream now is to win the first race for Toyota,” said 34-year-old Italian Trulli.“I have now spent longer racing for Toyota in Formula One 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.”
Glock, whose Toyota race career began only last season, added: “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. 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 One cars.”
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