Timo Glock signs w/ Cologne based Toyota

three-m · Post by **three-m** » Sat Nov 17, 2007 6:02 am

Looks to me like the world of Giancarlo, Ralf and Fernando is getting smaller..I thought for sure Ficshicela would end up w/ Jarno over there but as usual my winter F1 theory is being destroyed........
announcement is due next week

3m

Ed · Post by Ed » Sat Nov 17, 2007 6:57 am

During last week Toyota did mention that it was too early for them to hire someone like Alonso. It was also said that during initial talks between Alonso and Toyota, Alonso requested some high calibre people like Ross Brawn to join them. Now that Ross Brawn is at Honda, it is unlikley that Alonso will join Toyota.

Ed · Post by Ed » Mon Nov 19, 2007 7:57 pm

The Toyota Formula 1 team confirmed that Timo Glock will race for them in 2008. What is interesting is that the press release didn't mention that he will partner Jarno Trulli who is already under contract with Toyota!

The statement from Toyota read:

Toyota Motorsport GmbH can today confirm that Timo Glock will race for Panasonic Toyota Racing in 2008.

Timo, the reigning GP2 Series champion, has signed a multi-year contract and the team hopes an agreement can be reached with BMW Sauber to allow him to test at Jerez on December 4-6.

Chairman and Team Principal Tadashi Yamashina said:

It is with great pleasure that we confirm Timo Glock will race for Panasonic Toyota Racing in 2008. I am convinced Timo has the potential to help this team move forward and achieve its aims.

Timo has great experience of motorsport in several different categories and he reinforced his reputation by winning the highly competitive GP2 Series, which we have already seen is fantastic preparation for Formula 1. He has demonstrated a fighting spirit and good race craft in GP2 so we believe he is the right man for the job.

Timo said:

It's a great feeling to be a Formula 1 race driver again and I am really looking forward to this new challenge. I have worked hard over the past few years to get this opportunity and I must say I am grateful to Panasonic Toyota Racing for having faith in me.

From what I have seen of the team at the track I am confident we will be able to work well together to move forward. Even though I have not raced in Formula 1 since 2004, I have tested quite regularly so I expect it will take very little time for me to get back in the groove.

I have been lucky enough to race and succeed in several different championships in my career but my goal has always been to become a full-time Formula 1 race driver. I believe this experience has made me stronger as a driver and as a person.

Of course, to return to Formula 1 racing as GP2 Series champion is a real honour and we've all seen how well Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton have performed as champions so that is very encouraging. I hope I can also make a strong impression next season.

Now I have achieved my goal of returning to Formula 1, my next target is to work towards making 2008 a successful season for myself and Panasonic Toyota Racing.

The 25-year-old German is, like his new team, relatively young but has a wealth of different experience behind him since taking his first steps into the world of motorsport as a 15-year-old in karts.

After just two years of kart racing he stepped up to single-seaters and enjoyed an impressive rise through the ranks to Formula 1, via ADAC Formula BMW and Formula 3. At just 22 he was a Grand Prix racer with an unexpected Jordan debut in Canada in 2004, where he joined an exclusive list of drivers to score points in their first race, thanks to his seventh place.

Three more races followed at the end of the season before a switch to the United States for 2005, where he marked himself out as a rising star by taking Rookie of the Year honours, with a best finish of second, coincidentally also in Montreal.

However, the lure of Formula 1 was too great and he returned to prove his credentials in GP2. That looked a wise move this year when he came out on top of a tough title battle and he follows previous champions Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton into a full-time Formula 1 race drive.

mlittle · Post by **mlittle** » Tue Nov 20, 2007 10:32 am

Ed wrote:The Toyota Formula 1 team confirmed that Timo Glock will race for them in 2008. What is interesting is that the press release didn't mention that he will partner Jarno Trulli who is already under contract with Toyota!

The statement from Toyota read:

Toyota Motorsport GmbH can today confirm that Timo Glock will race for Panasonic Toyota Racing in 2008.

Timo, the reigning GP2 Series champion, has signed a multi-year contract and the team hopes an agreement can be reached with BMW Sauber to allow him to test at Jerez on December 4-6.

Chairman and Team Principal Tadashi Yamashina said:
It is with great pleasure that we confirm Timo Glock will race for Panasonic Toyota Racing in 2008. I am convinced Timo has the potential to help this team move forward and achieve its aims.

Timo has great experience of motorsport in several different categories and he reinforced his reputation by winning the highly competitive GP2 Series, which we have already seen is fantastic preparation for Formula 1. He has demonstrated a fighting spirit and good race craft in GP2 so we believe he is the right man for the job.
Timo said:
It's a great feeling to be a Formula 1 race driver again and I am really looking forward to this new challenge. I have worked hard over the past few years to get this opportunity and I must say I am grateful to Panasonic Toyota Racing for having faith in me.

From what I have seen of the team at the track I am confident we will be able to work well together to move forward. Even though I have not raced in Formula 1 since 2004, I have tested quite regularly so I expect it will take very little time for me to get back in the groove.

I have been lucky enough to race and succeed in several different championships in my career but my goal has always been to become a full-time Formula 1 race driver. I believe this experience has made me stronger as a driver and as a person.

Of course, to return to Formula 1 racing as GP2 Series champion is a real honour and we've all seen how well Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton have performed as champions so that is very encouraging. I hope I can also make a strong impression next season.

Now I have achieved my goal of returning to Formula 1, my next target is to work towards making 2008 a successful season for myself and Panasonic Toyota Racing.
The 25-year-old German is, like his new team, relatively young but has a wealth of different experience behind him since taking his first steps into the world of motorsport as a 15-year-old in karts.

After just two years of kart racing he stepped up to single-seaters and enjoyed an impressive rise through the ranks to Formula 1, via ADAC Formula BMW and Formula 3. At just 22 he was a Grand Prix racer with an unexpected Jordan debut in Canada in 2004, where he joined an exclusive list of drivers to score points in their first race, thanks to his seventh place.

Three more races followed at the end of the season before a switch to the United States for 2005, where he marked himself out as a rising star by taking Rookie of the Year honours, with a best finish of second, coincidentally also in Montreal.

However, the lure of Formula 1 was too great and he returned to prove his credentials in GP2. That looked a wise move this year when he came out on top of a tough title battle and he follows previous champions Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton into a full-time Formula 1 race drive.

If Glock drives as well for Toyota as he did for Rocketsports when he raced in ChampCar back in 2005, Toyota could also surprise some people this year.....