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 Nov 07, 2009 1:00 pm

Abu Dhabi Grand Prix - Qualifying Round-Up
Saturday 31 October 2009

Jarno Trulli (Car 9, Chassis TF109-06)
3rd Practice: 7th, 1m 41.310s (+0.685s), 23 laps
1st Qualifying: 3rd, 1m 40.517s (+0.644s), 11 laps
2nd Qualifying: 5th, 1m 40.373s (+0.678s), 7 laps
3rd Qualifying: 6th, 1m 41.897s (+0.949s), 6 laps

Kamui Kobayashi (Car 10, Chassis TF109-04)
3rd Practice: 13th, 1m 41.499s (+0.874s), 24 laps
1st Qualifying: 12th, 1m 41.035s (+1.162s), 10 laps
2nd Qualifying: 12th, 1m 40.777s (+1.082s), 7 laps

Panasonic Toyota Racing completed Formula 1's first-ever twilight qualifying session today, for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix at the stunning new Yas Marina Circuit. Jarno Trulli earned his ninth top-six start of the year while Kamui Kobayashi, in just his second Grand Prix, again performed admirably. First qualifying began in natural sunlight, with both drivers completing an opening stint on the soft compound Bridgestone Potenza tyres before switching to medium rubber to progress to the second session, with Jarno in third. When that began, the artificial lighting system was already necessary and the medium tyres again proved to be the rubber of choice, with both drivers putting in five timed laps towards the end. Jarno eased into the final session but Kamui missed out by just a tenth of a second, leaving him to start from the sixth row after his first dry Formula 1 qualifying experience. Jarno was fighting for the top three in third qualifying, again on medium tyres, but just slipped out in the final seconds, leaving him on the third row for the final race of the season.

Jarno Trulli
"It was a difficult session because it was an extremely hard fight in hot conditions; the lap times were really close despite it being a long circuit. I felt I got it right in each session and I am happy with sixth place. It's fun to be fighting at the front of the grid so it was a nice experience again for me. Obviously you always want to be even higher but we have done a good job so far this weekend and we deserved to be in the top six. The car feels strong and I think we are looking pretty good for the race so I'm looking forward to the fight."

Kamui Kobayashi
"I was hoping to be in the top 10 here but it was my first time in Formula 1 to qualify in dry conditions, so I needed to get used to it. Free practice has gone well all weekend and the car felt good. Qualifying wasn't easy but in the end I was only a tenth or so away from the top 10 so for my first time qualifying in the dry it's not bad. I have been trying to focus on my race pace this weekend so I am quite confident for tomorrow. I will try my best and I hope to fight for the points again; we'll see what we can do."

Pascal Vasselon - Senior General Manager Chassis
"This qualifying was all about tyre compound selection and warm-up management, as well as avoiding the traffic. Generally we got it right even though of course we hoped to be a bit higher on the grid with both cars. Jarno was fighting for the top three all through the session and Kamui did very well for his second qualifying in Formula 1, his first in dry conditions. All in all it was a reasonably good result, our fuel load is competitive so we should have interesting race tomorrow. This is obviously the last race of the season and we definitely want to end on a high; we are in pretty good shape to do that."

Ed
NewsOnF1 Editor
NewsOnF1 Editor
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Joined: Wed Jan 19, 2005 1:24 pm

Post by Ed » Sat Nov 07, 2009 1:01 pm

Abu Dhabi Grand Prix - Race Round-Up
Sunday 1 November 2009

Jarno Trulli (Car 9, Chassis TF109-06)
Grid: 6th
Race Classification: 7th (+34.366s)
Pit Stop Laps: 18, 42

Kamui Kobayashi (Car 10, Chassis TF109-04)
Grid: 12th
Race Classification: 6th (+28.343s)
Pit Stop Laps: 30

Panasonic Toyota Racing finished the 2009 season on a positive note with a double points finish in the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix at Yas Marina Circuit this evening. Kamui Kobayashi gave a brilliant performance to score points in just his second Formula 1 race while Jarno Trulli finished in the top eight for the eighth time this season. Both drivers started on the medium compound Bridgestone Potenza tyres with Jarno battling hard on the opening lap to hold sixth spot as Kamui overtook Kimi Raikkonen into turn one to move into 11th. Jarno dropped a position on the second lap but then put in a series of quick times in the run up to his first pit stop, when he continued with medium rubber. On the same lap, the hard-charging Kamui, on a heavy fuel load and one-stop strategy, passed new World Champion Jenson Button for ninth. By the time his only pit stop arrived, he was running third while Jarno was battling in the top six. Kamui resumed the fight, now on soft tyres, and kept up a strong pace to stay in contention for the top six. Jarno made a late pit stop for soft rubber and resumed just behind Kamui, with the two TF109s crossing the finishing line just a few seconds apart. That result gives Toyota 59.5 points and fifth place in the Constructors' Championship, while in the Drivers' Championship, Jarno is eighth (32.5pts), Timo Glock, who missed the final two races of the season due to injury, is 10th (24pts) and Kamui is 18th (3pts).

Kamui Kobayashi
"It was a really good race for me. At the start I overtook (Kimi) Raikkonen and that was important in the end because it would have been difficult to finish in the top six if I had been behind him during the first stint. When I got past I was confident I had the race pace to fight for the points and my target was to be consistently fast. The team did a great job with the strategy and the pit stop which played a big part in helping me finish in the points. I certainly wasn't expecting to be racing in Formula 1 this season and I want to say thank you to Toyota for this opportunity. My target was to finish in the points today but I am a bit surprised to be in the top six. This is a fantastic result and I am extremely happy."

Jarno Trulli
"It was not an easy race for me. I made a good start and was fighting with the BMWs on the first laps, which was good fun, but I was struggling a little with traction. During the stint the rear tyres were degrading and then later braking consistency became an issue. I was pushing as hard as possible and putting in some good laps to fight for the top six. In the end I was seventh, which is not bad, and for the team the result is pretty good. Obviously Kamui drove really well and I am very pleased for him; he deserved this result."

Tadashi Yamashina - Team Principal
"It was a great result for us to have both drivers in the points in the last race of 2009. Kamui did a fantastic job and we are very proud of him but Jarno also fought hard to get a strong result. This year the team, including everyone back in the factory in Cologne, has done a brilliant job. It's been a tough season but we have ended it in a positive way, so thanks to everyone in the team, as well as our sponsors and fans. I would like to offer my congratulations to the race organisers, who have done a fantastic job to create this incredible venue and also to the new World Champions, Brawn GP and Jenson Button, who achieved so much this season."

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