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 » Sat Jun 06, 2009 12:19 am

Turkish Grand Prix - Free Practice Round-Up
Friday 5 June 2009

Jarno Trulli (Car 9, Chassis TF109-06)
1st Practice: 3rd, 1m 29.271s (+0.319s), 26 laps
2nd Practice: 6th, 1m 29.207s (+0.366s), 41 laps

Timo Glock (Car 10, Chassis TF109-05)
1st Practice: 13th, 1m 29.934s (+0.982s), 26 laps
2nd Practice: 14th, 1m 29.518s (+0.677s), 40 laps

Panasonic Toyota Racing started the Turkish Grand Prix weekend with two promising 90-minute practice sessions at the 5.338km Istanbul Park today. Thursday's rain gave way to blue skies and sunshine, with track temperatures hitting 48°C and air temperatures 28°C for the first track action of the weekend. The rarely-used Istanbul Park was dusty as expected in the morning but lap times improved as more rubber was put down during the course of the day. With a modified front wing and other aerodynamic changes to evaluate, Jarno Trulli and Timo Glock had plenty of work to do in addition to the standard set-up procedures. The soft and hard Bridgestone Potenza tyres, which were last used in Barcelona, are available this weekend so comparing their behaviour also kept the drivers busy in the afternoon. Neither driver suffered any mechanical troubles so the team completed its entire programme as planned, recording positive results.

Jarno Trulli
"We mainly concentrated on set-up work and tyre evaluation as usual on a Friday. The track was pretty dusty, especially in the morning, so we felt a little lack of grip but that was expected here and it should improve tomorrow. The new aero bits are working well and they look like a good step which bodes well for the rest of the weekend. My lap times were competitive and the long runs went well so we will see what we can do for tomorrow. I am pleased with how things went today so we should be competitive."

Timo Glock
"It was a normal Friday practice for me with a programme of long runs and also various set-up comparisons. It was a bit tricky because I didn't feel the balance of the car was exactly where I wanted it to be, especially on the soft tyres, but we will work to improve that in time for qualifying. The lap times were really close in the afternoon session and I know I had the potential to be quicker. We are stronger than we were in Monaco, which is what we expected as that track is a one-off, so we want to demonstrate that in qualifying."

Dieter Gass, Chief Engineer Race and Test
"It was a very productive day for us. We had some aero updates on the car which we used successfully and we clearly looked better than we did in Monaco, as we anticipated here. As usual in Turkey on Friday you have a very big circuit evolution and we saw that in the morning. In the afternoon, between third and 16th places all cars were within half a second and that means that only a difference of 10kg of fuel would completely mix up the pecking order. So it is difficult to draw conclusions yet but we are definitely on a different level of performance compared to Monaco so we can be optimistic for the weekend."

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Post by Ed » Sat Jun 06, 2009 11:22 pm

Turkish Grand Prix - Qualifying Round-Up
Saturday 6 June 2009

Jarno Trulli (Car 9, Chassis TF109-06)
3rd Practice: 2nd, 1m 28.022s (+0.039s), 21 laps
1st Qualifying: 7th, 1m 27.529s (+0.199s), 10 laps
2nd Qualifying: 2nd, 1m 27.195s (+0.179s), 7 laps
3rd Qualifying: 5th, 1m 28.666s (+0.350s), 7 laps

Timo Glock (Car 10, Chassis TF109-05)
3rd Practice: 3rd, 1m 28.094s (+0.111s), 23 laps
1st Qualifying: 13th, 1m 28.160s (+0.830s), 10 laps
2nd Qualifying: 13th 1m 27.795s (+0.779s), 8 laps

Panasonic Toyota Racing will start the Turkish Grand Prix with high expectations for a strong result after qualifying at Istanbul Park today. Under clear skies, with track temperatures hitting 46°C and air temperatures 29°C, Jarno Trulli secured his fourth top-six grid spot of the season while Timo Glock missed the top 10 by a small margin. There was little to choose between the soft and hard Bridgestone Potenza tyres over one lap of Istanbul Park and in first qualifying the Toyota drivers set their fastest times on different rubber, with Jarno on hard and Timo on soft tyres. In the second session both set their fastest laps on the soft option but recorded differing results. Jarno eased through as second quickest while Timo lost a fraction of a second in the final sector and ended up 13th. That left just Jarno's TF109 in the final session and he was immediately competitive on hard tyres before setting his fastest lap on the softer rubber in the final seconds, claiming fifth place
in the process.

Jarno Trulli
"I am happy with this good result, especially after the difficult time we had during the last race weekend. We have made big improvements and it is nice to be back at the front where we belong. The tyre situation was a little tricky today because I was very quick on the hard tyre while I didn't feel I got the most out of the soft option. We need to analyse that to give us the best possible chance tomorrow I'm fired up and looking forward to the race. We were not far off pole position which is very encouraging and gives us high expectations for the race tomorrow. Obviously it is a long race and it's difficult to predict what will happen, but I will be fighting to finish on the podium."

Timo Glock
"That was not an easy session for me and it is disappointing to be out of the top 10. This morning we were quick and the set-up felt really good, so I was happy with the car going into qualifying. But when we put the option tyres on with a light fuel load the car had some oversteer and it didn't feel exactly like it did in the morning. We were still competitive and expecting to get into the top 10 but on my final lap of Q2 I made a mistake in the last sector and that was it; I lost time and didn't qualify where I expected. But it's easier to overtake here than in Monaco so I won't give up on the race."

Pascal Vasselon - Senior General Manager Chassis
"We are clearly having a better weekend than we did in Monaco which is a credit to the huge team effort to understand our issues from that weekend and bring new parts here. Nevertheless, we cannot be completely satisfied with this qualifying result. We missed out on getting both cars in the top 10 which is a pity, especially as we had very high hopes for that before qualifying. Unfortunately Timo made a mistake in the last sector when he was on for a competitive lap time, which explains his grid position. Jarno performed very well throughout and it is pleasing to be back at the right end of the grid. Naturally we want to fight for the podium here so we aimed a little higher than fifth, but it didn't happen so now we are looking to maximise our chances in the race. The tyre situation here is extremely interesting and quite unusual, with the hard and soft tyres offering very similar grip characteristics. This makes tyre choice more of a challenge and we are likely to see some
different strategies in the race."

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Post by Ed » Mon Jun 08, 2009 1:42 am

Turkish Grand Prix - Race Round-Up
Sunday 7 June May 2009

Jarno Trulli (Car 9, Chassis TF109-06)
Grid: 5th
Race Classification: 4th (+27.843s)
Pit Stop Laps: 16, 43

Timo Glock (Car 10, Chassis TF109-05)
Grid: 13th
Race Classification: 8th (+46.959)
Pit Stop Laps: 30, 47

Panasonic Toyota Racing delivered a determined performance to score points with both Jarno Trulli and Timo Glock in the Turkish Grand Prix at Istanbul Park today, strengthening its third place in the Constructors' Championship. Jarno claimed his fourth top-four finish of the season while Timo made up six places with a fighting drive to score points for the fifth time this year. Both drivers started on the hard Bridgestone Potenza tyres and in the run to the first corner Jarno moved up to third as Timo was pushed wide and lost ground. At the end of lap one Jarno was fourth and Timo 14th. At his first pit stop Jarno continued on the hard tyres while Timo's longer opening stint saw him run as high as fifth before pitting for another set of hard rubber. Jarno was in a tight battle for fourth place and a series of fast laps gave him the upper hand, so when he changed to the soft tyres for a short final stint he had the position. Timo was also charging hard and his speed in the middle
stint lifted him to eighth. He was even quicker on soft tyres in the closing laps but narrowly missed out on seventh.

Jarno Trulli
"I am pleased with the race result and also with the car. We have worked really hard to find more performance and it's great to be back in the fight for a podium. The team deserve a lot of credit for the improvement this weekend, including the engineers who have made a good step with our starts. My start was incredible and I made up two places into the first corner, however I struggled a lot on the first lap with locking brakes so I dropped back to fourth. After that I got into a good rhythm and I was fighting hard with Nico Rosberg. He got ahead at the first pit stops but I bounced back and overtook at the second stops. I was really competitive towards the end when there was a lot of rubber down and it was enjoyable to be fighting at the front. I started the weekend with a positive feeling and we quickly found the right set-up so I am extremely happy to be back to a competitive level."

Timo Glock
"It was not easy to score points from 13th on the grid. At the start I was a bit unlucky; I got a good launch but I got caught at the exit of turn one and another car pushed me to the outside. I lost some positions so maybe the result could have been even better. But in the end I am happy to score a point because the car was spot on, really quick with race fuel. It's tricky to make up positions in Formula 1 but our strategy was right, the pit stops were great and the set-up worked really well so thanks to the team for a good job. Our target before the race was to get into the points so I am pleased to achieve that and I expect even more at the next race."

Tadashi Yamashina - Team Principal
"It is very satisfying to have both drivers finish in the points here. We are back fighting at the front of the grid and that is where we want to be at every race. This was the best result we could achieve after qualifying which is a credit to the good work done by the team. However, we obviously want to be back on the podium so even though we showed very clear improvement, we will continue to push as hard as possible to find more performance. There is still a gap between us and the other top teams so we want to close that for the next race. I am optimistic for the British Grand Prix; we believe the Silverstone track should suit our car because it plays to our strengths therefore we want an even better result there."

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Post by Ed » Mon Jun 15, 2009 9:25 pm

British Grand Prix - Preview

Date: Sunday, 21 June, 2pm CET
Round: 8 of 17
Venue: Silverstone Circuit
Distance: 5.141km (60 laps)
Lap record: 1min 18.739s (2004)
History: The very first World Championship Grand Prix was held at Silverstone in 1950 and the British Grand Prix has been held annually ever since. Aintree (5), Brands Hatch (12) and Silverstone (42) have hosted the race and Donington Park is scheduled for 2010 onwards.

Panasonic Toyota Racing heads across the Channel this weekend for the British Grand Prix at Silverstone, the birthplace of the Formula 1 World Championship. Silverstone hosted the first World Championship Grand Prix in 1950 and also has a place in Toyota's Formula 1 history as the track where the team first led a race, in 2003. Last season's British Grand Prix was disrupted by rain but Jarno Trulli showed great determination and car control to take seventh place while Timo Glock was 12th. This year the team arrives in Great Britain with great confidence after a strong result in the Turkish Grand Prix enhanced its third place in the Constructors' Championship. As a high-speed circuit, Silverstone is expected to suit the TF109's considerable strengths so Jarno and Timo aim to fight for a podium return.

Jarno Trulli (Car 9): "It was very satisfying to get back on track with our strong result in Turkey. I believe we belong at the front of the grid this year and it was important to bounce back and show how competitive we really are. The team has pushed hard with development and we must continue to do this to close the gap on the cars in front of us. I expect our car should go well at Silverstone as we have been very competitive on circuits with similar characteristics, so I am fired up to fight at the front again. Silverstone is a special place to race because of the passionate fans and the history surrounding the track. Personally I am not a huge fan of Silverstone and it hasn't always been kind to me, although I was one of the fastest cars last year in the wet. But it is an important circuit to Formula 1 and it will be a loss. If this is the last Grand Prix at Silverstone for a while, I hope I can leave there with some happy memories."

Timo Glock (Car 10): "I am looking forward to the British Grand Prix and I think we have a great chance at Silverstone. It's an enjoyable place to race because the fans are so enthusiastic about Formula 1 and it's a really exciting lay-out. So it is a pity the Grand Prix is leaving Silverstone but then again new venues can be exciting too. The main feature of Silverstone is speed because there are some fantastic fast corners which are really good fun for a driver. This year I am particularly looking forward to this race because our car should be strong at this type of track. We were really competitive in Turkey with some new parts on the car and we expect to build on that this weekend. It was unfortunate my qualifying didn't go as planned in Istanbul because I could have been up with Jarno in the top six but I am really motivated to make sure everything goes to plan this weekend. The front of the grid is pretty close at the moment so if we get the maximum from our package then we
can be battling with the fastest cars."

Pascal Vasselon, Senior General Manager Chassis: "We expect to be strong at the British Grand Prix because the lay-out should suit our package. So far this season we have been extremely competitive at tracks which require high aero efficiency so we have high hopes for Silverstone. With the exception of Monaco we have been strong at all tracks and Turkey was a return to form for us. Even though we are in the top three in terms of performance we are still missing a little in order to be systematically contending to win. That is our target and we are working hard to close the gap. We expect to build on our Turkish performance and deliver a genuinely competitive car this weekend."

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 » Sat Jun 20, 2009 7:45 am

British Grand Prix - Free Practice Round-Up
Friday 19 June 2009

Jarno Trulli (Car 9, Chassis TF109-06)
1st Practice: 7th, 1m 20.585s (+1.185s), 32 laps
2nd Practice: 8th, 1m 20.458s (+1.002s), 40 laps

Timo Glock (Car 10, Chassis TF109-05)
1st Practice: 16th, 1m 21.386s (+1.986s), 32 laps
2nd Practice: 13th, 1m 20.762s (+1.306s), 37 laps

Panasonic Toyota Racing made a promising start to practice for the British Grand Prix at Silverstone on a windy, cloudy day at the birthplace of the Formula 1 World Championship. In contrast to the last race in Turkey, track temperatures were a moderate 34°C while the air temperature was a relatively chilly 17°C. With revisions to the TF109 to test before the decisive business of qualifying and the race, Jarno Trulli and Timo Glock were kept busy comparing different set-ups in the morning. In the afternoon the focus switched to the hard and soft Bridgestone Potenza tyres, last used together just two weeks ago in the Turkish Grand Prix. In Istanbul the difference between the two compounds, especially in qualifying, was not as great as anticipated but with lower track temperatures today, tyre behaviour needed re-evaluating. Both drivers completed more than a race distance over the two sessions leaving the team in good shape for the rest of the weekend.

Jarno Trulli
"I had a trouble-free couple of sessions working through the usual programme of evaluating the different tyre compounds and looking at various set-ups. The car feels pretty good but as usual here at Silverstone it was very windy. This makes it quite difficult to set-up the car and it's not ideal when it comes to evaluating different set-ups because the conditions change from lap to lap. But we had no other issues and we just need to improve the outright performance a little bit for tomorrow in order to be closer to the top. I am still optimistic."

Timo Glock
"It has been a reasonable start for us on the whole. We did quite a few laps and looked at various different set-ups. We had no serious problems but of course there are areas we need to work on before qualifying to get the maximum out of our package. The balance is not ideal at the moment but we have the chance to improve that tomorrow morning. If you look at what happened in Turkey, where we made a big step forward on Saturday morning, then we can be pretty hopeful for this race."

Dieter Gass, Chief Engineer Race and Test
"It was a positive day for us. We have got some new aerodynamic components on the car which we successfully tested. Everything looks fine, we had no technical problems so we went smoothly through our programme which is always a good way to start the weekend. In terms of tyres, these are the same compounds we had in Turkey. We don't seem to have a major worry with them for the rest of the weekend and that is good news because sometimes this year there have been occasions when it was a bit of a challenge. So now we are looking to build on this positive Friday over the rest of the weekend."

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Post by Ed » Sun Jun 21, 2009 12:36 am

British Grand Prix - Qualifying Round-Up
Saturday 20 June 2009

Jarno Trulli (Car 9, Chassis TF109-06)
3rd Practice: 3rd, 1m 19.125s (+0.226s), 15 laps
1st Qualifying: 4th, 1m 18.886s (+0.356), 6 laps
2nd Qualifying: 3rd, 1m 18.240s (+0.121), 7 laps
3rd Qualifying: 4th, 1m 20.091s (+0.582), 8 laps

Timo Glock (Car 10, Chassis TF109-05)
3rd Practice: 7th, 1m 19.868s (+0.969s), 19 laps
1st Qualifying: 9th, 1m 19.198s (+0.668s), 10 laps
2nd Qualifying: 10th, 1m 18.791s (+0.672), 8 laps
3rd Qualifying: 8th, 1m 20.490s (+0.981), 7 laps

Panasonic Toyota Racing continued its strong recent form in qualifying for the British Grand Prix at Silverstone today with Jarno Trulli taking a second-row starting spot as Timo Glock joined him in the top eight. The cool weather continued at Silverstone, where air temperatures could only reach 16°C and track temperatures 25°C, although the rain stayed away despite dark clouds overhead. Jarno was one of the quickest cars throughout qualifying and only needed one run on hard Bridgestone Potenza tyres to progress beyond the first session in fourth while Timo used the softer compound to also ease through. Both drivers used the soft compound for second qualifying with Jarno again in fine form before the decisive final session. Again the drivers used the softer tyre and Jarno secured his fifth top-six qualifying result of the season while Timo is in the top eight for the fourth time.

Jarno Trulli
"We had a very good run today in qualifying so I am pleased with the result and I am very happy with the car. We have made some aerodynamic upgrades for this race which have improved our performance and the gap to the fastest cars in low-fuel qualifying was quite small so this is a positive sign. The team has done a great job this weekend because from the first practice session the car felt strong and was very competitive. This has continued all through the weekend so far. Maybe my lap in Q3 could have been slightly quicker and we could have made it into the top three but in the end I think we are where we deserve to be. I have to admit I don't normally enjoy Silverstone and I haven't had much luck here so I am really happy to be at the front of the grid for what could be the last Grand Prix here for a while."

Timo Glock
"The result is pretty good and I have to be happy about being in the top eight because I was not sure it would be possible after practice yesterday. I have been struggling a bit with the car and compared to Jarno I haven't been able to achieve the same lap times. The problem for me has been getting temperature into the tyres and that has caused me to struggle for grip at times. I've not been completely happy all weekend but the result today looks decent so I hope I can score points tomorrow."

Pascal Vasselon - Senior General Manager Chassis
"All in all today's practice and qualifying went well and we have a good chance for the race tomorrow. We are not on the front row but we are in a strong position. It is also satisfying to see we are much closer to the fastest cars than we expected after yesterday's practice. So we are very much looking forward to the race because we believe we have a very strong strategy and genuine reason for optimism. The tyre situation at this race is a bit more standard in terms of one-lap pace and degradation so we should not see too many different strategies in the race. Also I have to say we are happy with the updates we have brought here and I would like to thank the people at the factory back in Cologne for all the hard work done to achieve this."

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Post by Ed » Mon Jun 22, 2009 1:36 am

British Grand Prix - Race Round-Up
Sunday 21 June 2009

Jarno Trulli (Car 9, Chassis TF109-06)
Grid: 4th
Race Classification: 7th (+68.307s)
Pit Stop Laps: 18, 46

Timo Glock (Car 10, Chassis TF109-05)
Grid: 8th
Race Classification: 9th (+69.823s)
Pit Stop Laps: 19, 48

Panasonic Toyota Racing left Silverstone with two points after a frustrating British Grand Prix at Silverstone today. Hopes were high for a podium challenge after an extremely competitive qualifying performance but on another chilly Silverstone afternoon they turned to disappointment when the red lights went out to signify the start of the race. Jarno Trulli started on the second row but a launch issue saw him lose ground off the line to leave him seventh at the end of the first lap. Timo Glock dropped three places to 11th on the opening lap. Jarno's first pit stop came on lap 18 and he opted for another set of soft Bridgestone Potenza tyres, with fast work by the pit crew moving him up to sixth. Timo made his first pit stop a lap later and followed the same tyre strategy, emerging again in 11th. With track temperatures only 30°C, the team chose a short final stint for both drivers on the hard tyres. Jarno dropped to seventh but Timo came out ninth and fighting for the final point.
As Jarno brought the car home in seventh, Timo hounded the eighth-placed Kimi Raikkonen but there was no opportunity to pass.

Jarno Trulli
"It was a very hard race for me. I had a difficult start because the car didn't pull away as fast as normal, so I lost a couple of positions. I was trying to fight back all through the race but it was not easy and the car was sliding around quite a lot; maybe this was because of the aero set-up I chose yesterday. I expected the weather today to be a little warmer than it was and I was struggling a bit with my set-up, especially on long runs. Our strategy was okay but we expected more from this race so I am determined to make up for it in Germany."

Timo Glock
"It's a pity to miss out on the points, especially as I was really quick out of traffic and at the end I was able to catch Kimi (Raikkonen) quite easily. The problem was at the first corner when I lost a few positions; that left me in traffic and compromised my race. Still, I didn't give up and I was fighting with (Giancarlo) Fisichella in the middle stint when there was a chance to get in the points. On the hard tyres at the end the car felt good and I very quickly caught Kimi but I had no chance to overtake. I tried into the final corner on the last lap but it didn't work out. Now I am looking to the next Grand Prix, which is a home race for me and the team. I hope it will be a bit warmer there which would suit our car more than the low temperatures today."

John Howett - President
"We expected a better result than this but the race didn't turn out as we hoped. Qualifying was very promising and we genuinely expected to fight for the podium but Jarno lost positions at the start and Timo was squeezed going into the first corner. Two points is far less than we expected after the qualifying result but this will motivate us to develop further and come back stronger for one of our home Grands Prix at the Nurburgring."

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Post by Ed » Mon Jul 06, 2009 10:47 pm

German Grand Prix - Preview

Date: Sunday, 12 July, 2pm CET
Round: 9 of 17
Venue: Nürburgring
Distance: 5.148km (60 laps)
Lap record: 1min 29.468s (2004)
History: The first German Grand Prix was held in 1926, it joined the Formula 1 World Championship calendar in 1951 and has been on the calendar ever since, with absences in 1955, 1960 and 2007. Hockenheim (31) has hosted the most German Grands Prix while AVUS (1) and Nürburgring (23) have also held the race.

Panasonic Toyota Racing makes the very short journey south of its Cologne base for the German Grand Prix at the Nürburgring. Only around 80km separates the team's technical centre from the legendary track, which first hosted Formula 1 in 1951 and has done so 37 times, most recently as home to the European Grand Prix. Toyota has a strong record in qualifying at the Nürburgring, having qualified at least one car in the top 10 on all of its six previous visits, but only finished in the points once; Jarno Trulli's eighth place in 2005. With another set of upgrades to the TF109 for this race, the clear goal is to rectify that statistic with a strong points finish with both cars. Following another top-eight finish in the British Grand Prix at Silverstone last time out, the team has scored in six of the eight races so far to leave it third in the Constructors' Championship approaching the mid-point of the season. For his home race, Timo Glock will wear a special helmet designed by a
local schoolboy, the winner of a Panasonic competition in Germany.

Jarno Trulli (Car 9): "The Nürburgring is such a famous track in motorsport and it is fantastic to go there and see the old Nordschleife. The new track is a bit different to say the least but in its own way it is still a challenge. It is actually a track I know really well and I have had some good days there, particularly in 1999 when I finished on the podium for the first time in Formula 1. I am always optimistic and it would be great to fight for another podium 10 years on from that. We showed in qualifying at Silverstone that we are competitive, even though the race was frustrating as a result of the start, so I am hopeful for this weekend. It is an important race for the team with the factory only an hour away so that gives me even more motivation to succeed this weekend. I know we will have a lot of support so I hope I can give them the result we all want."

Timo Glock (Car 10): "This is my home track and it will be the first time I have raced a Formula 1 car there so I am really excited. Obviously the modern Nürburgring is nothing like the old Nordschleife, which is just an incredible circuit. I drove a Toyota Auris around it recently and it's so much fun but completely different from a modern Formula 1 circuit. I enjoy the modern Nürburgring and it is a track I am really familiar with after growing up in German racing. In fact, the first Formula 1 race I attended was at the Nürburgring in 2000 when I was competing in one of the support races so it will be a special feeling for me this weekend. It's surprising we are already at the halfway point of the season - it has gone so quickly. I've had some good races so far and it has been nice to be battling at the front quite often. This weekend is another chance to do that and I can't wait."

Pascal Vasselon, Senior General Manager Chassis: "The Nürburgring does not place any specific demand on a Formula 1 car; it requires an average aero efficiency level with average tyre severity and doesn't put any particular strain on brakes, suspension or engine. The main concern is with the weather and consequently with tyre warm-up because the track is close to the mountains and if you are unlucky you can experience cool temperatures and rain. We haven't raced at the Nürburgring since 2007 but the lay-out hasn't changed since then so our database is still valid, although obviously we have to make adjustments to take into account the aerodynamic changes and slick tyres. The British Grand Prix didn't go as well as expected but our qualifying performance was encouraging, as was Timo's pace out of traffic in the race, and we aim to be stronger this weekend.

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Post by Ed » Wed Jul 08, 2009 3:42 pm

German Grand Prix Preview Q+A - Timo Glock

What is your history with the Nürburgring?
The first time I went there was in 2000 when I was racing in ADAC Formula Junior, during my first season of car racing. Since then I've been there quite a lot, particularly before I reached Formula 1 in 2004 as basically all my racing was in Germany. So it feels like a second home to me. It's also a race where I have generally always had success; I won or was on the podium in almost every race I've had there.

What is your best memory of the track?
I have a lot of good memories but the best is probably from GP2 in 2007. The year before I was not in a competitive car and I struggled in the midfield, which is basically my only bad memory of the track. But when GP2 went back there in 2007 I was with iSport so it was a different story. I qualified on pole by more than half a second and won the feature race, then finished fifth in the sprint race. That was a really good weekend for my championship and it's the last time I raced at the Nürburgring so I hope I can keep up the good record!

Is it special for you to race there?
Nowadays it is a great feeling to race at the Nürburgring because I am in my own country, with lots of my fans in the grandstands and some family and friends around as well. It's also one of Toyota's home races so that makes it special for the team too. But I have to say until I started competing in Formula 1 or GP2 it wasn't unusual at all to be racing on home ground because I grew up in German racing so every event was a local one! Once I moved into international competition I only raced in Germany once or twice a year, if at all, so then it became a really special thing for me.

Do you have a favourite corner on the current Formula 1 lay-out?
I don't have a favourite corner as such but the left-right Schumacher S is an enjoyable part of the track. It was flat-out last year but with the new regulations it might be different this time. Apart from that the track has a nice flow, although the revised first sector is a bit slower than it used to be and overall it is really difficult to overtake.

Is it more motivating to race in your home Grand Prix or does it put you under additional pressure?
I don't feel any extra pressure at my home race; everything is positive. From track to track my motivation doesn't really change; I always give my all and do my very best to get a strong result for the team. Sure, it might be a bit more enjoyable to succeed in my home race but it doesn't make any difference to my lap time - or to the number of points given out at the end. Every race is important so if you're not giving 100% you are not doing your job properly.

What do you think of the Nordschleife lay-out?
It is a massively impressive track and it's really quite incredible to think they used to race Formula 1 cars around there. I first drove it around eight years ago and I was completely taken aback by the place; I had never seen a race track which is 22km long! Even in a road car you feel the speed and the excitement so it must have been awesome in a Formula 1 car. There are a lot of corners and I can't remember all the names! But I can drive a whole lap and know what's coming next; that's the important bit. I don't have one favourite corner because they are all fantastic. It's just a really, really nice track to drive.

How often have you experienced the Nordschleife since that first time?
I haven't driven it so much since then, maybe 10 laps or so, but I was there a few weeks ago in a Toyota Auris, which was great fun. I did a few laps and it still gives me a great feeling of excitement. I used to play on some video games quite a bit and drive the Nordschleife, but I don't have time for that now.

How is your relationship with the German fans?
I feel a lot of support from the German fans. It's good to have a lot of fans in the grandstands; it's a nice feeling to see people wearing Toyota caps and shirts. With five German drivers on the grid the German fans have a lot of guys to support and we all feel very much at home at the Nürburgring or Hockenheim. Toyota is the local team for the Nürburgring so we will have plenty of support and I hope we can give them the result they expect.

If you weren't a Formula 1 driver, would you go to watch the German Grand Prix?
That's hard to say because it's tricky to consider what I would do in a completely different situation to the one I am in. But I've seen the fans in the campsites with their loud music, having a few drinks and just being passionate about Formula 1 for the whole weekend; they seem to have a lot of fun. Maybe you get more information from the TV but you don't have that atmosphere so I think I'd be there with the fans where the action is.

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Post by Ed » Sat Jul 11, 2009 1:08 am

German Grand Prix - Free Practice Round-Up
Friday 10 July 2009

Jarno Trulli (Car 9, Chassis TF109-06)
1st Practice: 4th, 1m 33.795s (+0.713s), 23 laps
2nd Practice: 5th, 1m 32.511s (+0.362s), 32 laps

Timo Glock (Car 10, Chassis TF109-05)
1st Practice: 19th, 1m 34.911s (+1.829s), 23 laps
2nd Practice: 15th, 1m 33.172s (+1.023s), 34 laps

Panasonic Toyota Racing made a solid start to the German Grand Prix weekend despite cold and changeable weather at the Nürburgring today. Light rain throughout the day and air temperatures ranging from just 10°C to 13°C faced Jarno Trulli and Timo Glock. Nevertheless, with new aerodynamic parts to test, including a revised rear wing, both drivers made full use of the morning session to compare different set-ups whilst running with the medium compound Bridgestone Potenza tyres. Further set-up work was carried out in second practice to find more improvements while comparison runs between the medium and super soft tyres were carried out successfully. This combination of tyres was last used in Bahrain, when Toyota locked out the front row in qualifying. Both drivers achieved consistent set-up improvements but that work will continue overnight and during tomorrow morning's final practice to give the team the best possible chance in qualifying.

Jarno Trulli
"Today was a standard Friday for me, although the weather affected things a bit and that could be a theme for the whole weekend. We tried the two tyre compounds and did some set-up work but there were times when the track was damp and this doesn't make comparisons any easier. Generally I am pretty happy and still quite optimistic for the weekend when you see the results at the end of each session. This is one of the home races for the team so I would be very pleased to do well for all the people who are here supporting us. We have made a promising start but there is of course still room for improvement."

Timo Glock
"It's my home race so it was nice to already see quite a few fans in the grandstands and it's a good feeling to be driving in front of them. Practice was quite tricky for me today. I struggled a little in the first practice to find the perfect balance but we worked hard between the sessions to find an improvement and the second one started pretty well. I think towards the end we didn't take the best direction in terms of set-up so we have to look at the data and find a way to get it back. I'm really motivated to do well at my home race so I am pushing hard and we'll do everything we can overnight and tomorrow to be in good shape for qualifying."

Dieter Gass, Chief Engineer Race and Test
"All in all it was a positive day for us. We had some new aero components which we assessed and got some useful information, while we had no technical problems on the car. The times were very tight with only a second covering the top 16 in the afternoon. It was pretty cold out there today with track temperatures more like a winter test than a Grand Prix in July but the weather is the same for everybody and we may have to get used to it for the weekend. The low track temperatures don't seem to have too much of a negative impact on us so it shouldn't be a problem. In terms of the tyres, the super soft compound seems to be working a bit better than expected for us. So for a Friday we are in a decent position but now we have to see what the weather does for the remainder of the weekend, especially on Sunday."

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Post by Ed » Sun Jul 12, 2009 12:17 am

German Grand Prix - Qualifying Round-Up
Saturday 11 July 2009

Jarno Trulli (Car 9, Chassis TF109-06)
3rd Practice: 7th, 1m 31.620s (+0.499s), 23 laps
1st Qualifying: 9th, 1m 31.760s (+0.503s), 9 laps
2nd Qualifying: 14th, 1m 42.771s (+8.316s), 8 laps

Timo Glock (Car 10, Chassis TF109-05)
3rd Practice: 12th, 1m 32.033s (+0.901s), 20 laps
1st Qualifying: 19th, 1m 32.423s (+1.166s), 11 laps

Panasonic Toyota Racing's German Grand Prix qualifying was severely hampered by the fickle Eifel weather at the Nürburgring today. Hopes were high after a solid practice showing but qualifying started with threatening clouds in the sky. With that in mind Jarno Trulli and Timo Glock started on medium compound Bridgestone Potenza tyres before quickly switching to the super soft variety. Jarno did enough on his second run to progress but a mistake at the chicane cost Timo time and he required a final stint on super soft tyres in the closing minutes to get through. By then the rain had started, giving him no chance to improve. Jarno was therefore the only Toyota in second qualifying, when the changing conditions caused difficulties for everyone. He left the pits on super soft tyres but a rain shower forced him to return to the pits, without recording a lap time, to switch to standard wet tyres. He set a time within the top 10 before a dry period saw all drivers scramble for the pits to
return to super soft tyres. However, the rain returned on his final flying lap to deny Jarno a place in third qualifying.

Jarno Trulli
"The weather didn't help us at all today. It was very windy and cold, which generally doesn't suit our car, so unfortunately we were struggling to get the tyres up to the right temperature. We were still reasonably competitive so we got through Q1 without any great difficulty but then we had the rain. Towards the end of Q2 we were not on the right tyres at the right time so it wasn't possible to get into the top 10. Obviously it's frustrating to qualify in 14th because I am more used to fighting in the top six but we can only do our best in the race tomorrow and see what happens."

Timo Glock
"That was definitely a disappointing result and it is not what I expected for my home Grand Prix. The weather was too cold for us because since Silverstone I have struggled to get the most out of the tyres over one lap; I don't know if it is only the temperatures or something else as well. It's not clear to me why we have this issue with the tyres in qualifying but we have to work on it. It is a real pity I went out in first qualifying because after that we had the rain and I usually do really well in wet conditions. Maybe we will have some rain again tomorrow and that might give me a chance to get a decent result. We will see."

Pascal Vasselon - Senior General Manager Chassis
"We were certainly not expecting such a bad result. So far the weekend had been quite smooth with trouble-free sessions for both cars. The set-up was reasonably sorted but obviously we didn't manage the changeable conditions well in qualifying. Timo locked his rear wheels on his lap on the super soft tyres in Q1 and we were one lap too late with Jarno to switch to dry tyres in Q2. It was quite a bad result considering the high standards we have set so far this season but anything can happen in the race. We have prepared our set-up to cope with the possibility of bad weather and rain could again play a big part."

Timo Glock will appear at the Ring° Arena tonight prior to the Felix Sturm v Khoren Gevor World Championship boxing match to launch an online charity auction in aid of the United Nations World Food Programme. His German Grand Prix helmet, designed by the schoolboy winner of a Panasonic competition, and Felix Sturm's gloves from the bout will be auctioned to raise funds for hungry children around the world.

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Post by Ed » Mon Jul 13, 2009 3:15 am

German Grand Prix - Race Round-Up
Sunday 12 July 2009

Timo Glock (Car 10, Chassis TF109-05)
Started from pit lane
Race Classification: 9th (+61.457s)
Pit Stop Laps: 37

Jarno Trulli (Car 9, Chassis TF109-06)
Grid: 14th
Race Classification: 17th (+90.970s)
Pit Stop Laps: 21, 49

Panasonic Toyota Racing suffered another frustrating day at the Nürburgring as the German Grand Prix ended with the team narrowly missing out on the points. Following yesterday's weather-affected qualifying, the race was always likely to be difficult and the team planned its strategy with that in mind. Both drivers started on heavy fuel loads and the super soft Bridgestone Potenza tyres, with Timo Glock lining up from the pit lane as part of his strategy. Jarno Trulli fought hard for position on the opening lap but was hit by another car, forcing him to pit for a new front wing on lap two. He returned to the track in 19th and was lapping on the pace of the top-six cars before becoming stuck in traffic and pitting for medium tyres after a third of the race. Timo, as the only car on a one-stop strategy, battled valiantly on his heavy fuel load and by half distance he was in the top 10. He made the latest first pit stop of all to switch to medium tyres and continued his charge for the
points. He closed within half a second of the top eight but narrowly missed out after making up 11 places during the race. Jarno took advantage of clear air in the closing stages to record the second-fastest race lap but his first-lap incident had by then denied him any chance of points.

Jarno Trulli
"The race was over for me at the first corner. There were several cars fighting for position but I suddenly saw another car go past me and jump over my front wing because there was no space. I couldn't see that part of my wing but I could feel there was something wrong so I came in and the team changed it. After that the car felt good but unfortunately as soon as I caught up with the field I was always stuck in traffic and couldn't do anything. When I had a clear track ahead of me later in the race I put in some quick laps and was second fastest overall but it was too late."

Timo Glock
"In general I am reasonably satisfied with my performance today because I started from the pit lane and finished ninth on a track where overtaking is very difficult. We had a good strategy after what happened in qualifying yesterday but unfortunately I had some traffic in the first stint which cost me time. I only had around four laps without traffic all day but when I had a clear track I was quick. If it wasn't for the traffic I would have had a better chance at scoring points. On the last stint I was quicker than (Heikki) Kovalainen but I just couldn't get past. I pushed really hard and tried to overtake twice but I couldn't manage. But we need to qualify higher so we can fight at the front in the race and we will work on this for the next Grand Prix."

Tadashi Yamashina - Team Principal
"Unfortunately we couldn't make the most of the race today, despite having the potential in the car to get a much better result. The race was decided for us in qualifying; starting from where we did made it extremely difficult to finish in the points even though the car had quite good performance, as you can see from Jarno's second-fastest race lap. Now we have to work towards the Hungarian Grand Prix, where we will fight to achieve a significantly better result. The Hungaroring is a track which could suit our cars, and we have a good record there historically, so we will do our very best to get back among the leading teams."

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Post by Ed » Mon Jul 20, 2009 10:31 pm

Hungarian Grand Prix - Preview

Date: Sunday, 26 July, 2pm CET
Round: 10 of 17
Venue: Hungaroring, Budapest
Distance: 4.381km (70 laps)
Lap record: 1min 19.071 (2004)

History: Hungary hosted its first Grand Prix back in 1936 but it was 50 years before the second, in 1986. The Hungarian Grand Prix has been on the calendar ever since and this year will be the 24th at the Hungaroring.

Panasonic Toyota Racing travels east across Europe this weekend for the Hungarian Grand Prix at the Hungaroring on the outskirts of Budapest. In keeping with its philosophy of continuous improvement, the team has a further package of upgrades available, including a rear wing evolution, while two consecutive compounds of Bridgestone Potenza tyre will be used. The soft and super soft compounds have been chosen due to the specific requirements of the low-speed, 14-turn Hungaroring. The track has been a happy hunting ground in recent years, with the team having a presence in the top six in qualifying and the race on all its last four visits. Timo already has a prized souvenir of the Hungaroring after achieving his first Formula 1 podium there last year, when he finished a well-deserved second place. That was Toyota's second podium in Hungary, following Ralf Schumacher's third place in 2005, and the team is focused on achieving another positive result this time around.

Jarno Trulli (Car 9): "I enjoy visiting Budapest, and the Hungarian Grand Prix is an enjoyable one for me. The Hungaroring is a challenging track from a driver's perspective because it is very narrow with a lot of corners, even though it is quite a short lap. It might not be one of the fastest tracks on the calendar but it is actually good fun to drive, although you have to keep your concentration because you get punished badly by going off line. It is very close among several teams at the moment so it is difficult to predict what will happen in Hungary but if we can do a smooth weekend with no problems then we will be competitive. The last race weekend was very frustrating for me because we had a lot more performance than the result showed but we are all determined to make up for that with a good points finish in Hungary."

Timo Glock (Car 10): "Obviously Hungary is a special race in my career after the podium there last season. That was the first of several strong points finishes for me and I hope another competitive weekend there can get the ball rolling again this year. I am in a positive mood and optimistic I can score again. It was disappointing to just miss the points at the last race, especially in front of my home fans, but I made up 11 places after starting from the pit lane so we have the potential to finish much higher. One of my targets this weekend will be to get a perfect lap in qualifying because that has been an issue in the last couple of races for various reasons. Lap times are really close this year so if you are a tenth or two off your maximum pace in qualifying you can drop a few positions and that makes life harder in the race. We'll be pushing as hard as possible and I am sure we will bounce back."

Pascal Vasselon, Senior General Manager Chassis: "We are looking forward with optimism to the Hungarian Grand Prix. Even though the Hungaroring is a low average speed circuit it consists mainly of medium-speed corners with very few really slow corners, but still you need plenty of downforce. The track is quite hard on brakes, which is demanding in terms of braking stability and cooling. Also, tyre grip and consistency management can be a challenge because the track surface and lay-out are very specific; it is low grip with high cornering severity. That created a risk that the hard specifications would struggle for grip while the soft specs could suffer severe graining but Bridgestone has reacted so we will use the soft and super soft tyre to avoid that situation. We are likely to face high ambient temperatures this weekend but the cooling efficiency of our car is very good so we can cope with these conditions without degrading the aerodynamic performance."

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Post by Ed » Sat Jul 25, 2009 1:01 am

Hungarian Grand Prix - Free Practice Round-Up
Friday 24 July 2009

Jarno Trulli (Car 9, Chassis TF109-06)
1st Practice: 6th, 1m 22.705s (+0.427s), 17 laps
2nd Practice: 8th, 1m 22.663s (+0.584s), 28 laps

Timo Glock (Car 10, Chassis TF109-05)
1st Practice: 14th, 1m 23.234s (+0.956s), 30 laps
2nd Practice: 10th, 1m 22.751s (+0.672s), 45 laps

Panasonic Toyota Racing started its Hungarian Grand Prix weekend with three hours of practice at the Hungaroring for Jarno Trulli and Timo Glock today. The twisty circuit on the outskirts of Budapest is generally dusty for the start of practice and that proved to be the case again today, with track conditions improving steadily throughout. After chilly weather during the previous two Grands Prix, Hungary lived up to its reputation as one of the hottest race weekends on the calendar, with air temperatures reaching 29°C and track temperatures 47°C. The team used first practice to compare various set-up changes and establish a solid baseline for the rest of the weekend, while also evaluating several upgrades. Tyres were the main focus of second practice, with the team trying out the super soft and soft Bridgestone Potenza tyres, as last used together in Monaco. Unfortunately, Jarno's session was interrupted by an electrical glitch caused by temperature problems which forced him to stop on track midway through. But fast work by the team solved the problem and enabled him to resume the session after only half an hour's delay, immediately joining Timo in the top 10.

Jarno Trulli
"It was a difficult day for me and I had a bit of trouble. It was disappointing we couldn't do all the work we had planned in second practice due to the problem but the team did a great job to get the car ready again so quickly. It's not easy to say where we are in terms of competitiveness or set-up because it didn't run as smoothly as normal. The track conditions evolved quite a lot during the day, as expected, and by the end of the second session there was a lot more grip than in the morning. Now it is important to make the best possible use of tomorrow's practice session so we are well prepared for qualifying."

Timo Glock
"Today was quite positive for me and overall I am definitely happier than at this stage of the weekend at the Nürburgring. The car felt quite good, especially later in second practice when the track had rubbered in more. There wasn't a lot of grip this morning or for the first few laps of the afternoon session so it was a little tricky but it improved after that. So I am happy with how things have gone for me, but of course we still have work to do to improve the set-up even more. We have taken a step in the right direction and I hope for a strong qualifying tomorrow."

Dieter Gass, Chief Engineer Race and Test
"As usual here in Hungary, the track initially had quite poor grip but this improved significantly during the sessions. We had some temperature problems on Jarno's car in the afternoon which caused him to stop on track at one stage. Also, his morning session was also not entirely trouble-free and we needed to change some components, which cost a little time. So he lost a bit of running and is therefore a little behind in his programme. Timo had a smooth day without any problems so we will transfer some of the information we learned from his work to Jarno's car. It is interesting to see how close the field is today, with almost the whole field covered by one second, so it will be really important tomorrow to get everything spot on in qualifying and get the cars as far up the grid as we can."

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Post by Ed » Sun Jul 26, 2009 12:58 am

Hungarian Grand Prix - Qualifying Round-Up
Saturday 25 July 2009

Jarno Trulli (Car 9, Chassis TF109-06)
3rd Practice: 12th, 1m 22.097s (+1.088s), 25 laps
1st Qualifying: 8th, 1m 21.416s (+0.623s), 10 laps
2nd Qualifying: 12th, 1m 21.082s (+0.724s), 8 laps

Timo Glock (Car 10, Chassis TF109-05)
3rd Practice: 6th, 1m 21.849s (+0.840s), 12 laps
1st Qualifying: 14th, 1m 21.584s (+0.791s), 11 laps
2nd Qualifying: 14th, 1m 21.242s (+0.884s), 8 laps

Panasonic Toyota Racing suffered disappointment in qualifying for the Hungarian Grand Prix at the Hungaroring today. On another hot and sunny afternoon, Jarno Trulli and Timo Glock took part in a very close-fought contest, beginning in first qualifying. Both drivers chose to start that session on soft Bridgestone Potenza tyres, which increased in pace during the run. For their final flying laps, they changed to the super soft compound but a yellow flag in the closing minutes caused a late scramble for a quick lap time. Jarno and Timo both held their nerve and pulled off fast laps to progress. The super soft tyres were the rubber of choice throughout second qualifying, although Jarno was not able to set a competitive time on his first run due to traffic. Lap times were again incredibly close and, despite being less than a second shy of the fastest time with their late laps, both Toyotas did not reach third qualifying. Following his accident today, the team sends it best wishes to Felipe Massa and hopes to see him back at the track very soon.

Jarno Trulli
"I have not been particularly happy with the car all weekend and unfortunately we couldn't make it into the top 10 today. The lap times have been very close all weekend and just a couple of tenths makes a big difference in the standings. Ultimately we didn't have the pace. It's difficult at the moment to judge exactly where we were lacking but obviously we were hoping for a better result. I am a racing driver and I never give up; the race is long and anything can happen so I will do my best to score points."

Timo Glock
"I am disappointed with that result, especially because this morning I felt we had quite a good package and the car felt competitive, even though I lost some time. For some reason we just couldn't get the best lap time out of the car, which is a pity. On my last flying lap I caught another car in the final corner and lost a little time; I am sure I would have been able to go faster but that's how things go in qualifying on a twisty track like this. Starting from 14th makes it difficult for us tomorrow because overtaking is pretty much impossible here but we will see what we can do in terms of strategy and of course we will do our best."

Pascal Vasselon - Senior General Manager Chassis
"Obviously we have had a few troubles this weekend. We had various technical issues with both cars, including a loss of hydraulic pressure for Timo this morning, and this has caused us to lose some valuable track time. The field is clearly very tight at the moment and if you are not getting the full potential out of your car, it costs you a lot. We haven't performed well so far this weekend and the result today was not good enough. Still, we have to focus on the race tomorrow and look at the various options we have to try to make up positions."

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