Italian GP: After Spa, Optimism in the Toyota Camp!

Even though the Belgian race at the Spa-Francorchamps circuit ended in failure as no points were scored, Toyota goes to Italy quite calmly. And for a reason, the configurations of the two circuits are somewhat identical, and the Japanese team had achieved very good qualifications in Belgium. They therefore hope to do as well this weekend.

On the other hand, it’s during the race that things will need to change. Jarno Trulli had retired, and Timo Glock finished out of the points. To maximize its chances, the team decided not to evolve its aerodynamics package, especially since the tire types will also remain the same with mediums and softs.

Jarno Trulli – Racing Driver

« It’s always a great occasion for me to race in front of the Italian fans and I really love the atmosphere in Monza. Of course, it’s a home race for me, so I have a lot of supporters in the stands, and I really appreciate seeing the joy in the enthusiasts’ eyes. It means a lot to me, so I want to achieve a good result in this race, and I will do everything I can to make it happen. My performance in Belgium was very encouraging, and hopefully, it will be a sign to reach the car’s full potential in qualifying. I was unlucky in the race, but I enjoyed the chance to fight at the front, and I hope to be able to do so again in Italy. Our car seemed quite competitive at Spa, and there will be some changes for this weekend. I’m sure the grid will be very tight, but we have a chance to get back in the points. Monza would be the perfect place for this return to form, and I’m ready to take on the challenge. »

Timo Glock – Racing driver

« Monza is synonymous with speed, but my memories lean more towards last year’s rain because the weekend was very wet. We were good in qualifying, but the changing conditions during the race made us miss the podium. The atmosphere is always incredible at Monza and being in the race is a special experience, in front of passionate fans. Every Formula 1 driver loves to drive fast at Monza. It’s obviously a fun place for racing because there are long straights, broken up by chicanes, and the Lesmo corners are truly fantastic. Our car was competitive at Spa. Our goal is to be in the top eight on Saturday again because it gives us the best chances of achieving a good result on Sunday. I look forward to starting this weekend and am determined to give the team a reason to celebrate. »

Pascal Vasselon – Chassis Technical Director:

« In the past, we have always prepared a specific aerodynamic package for Monza, but it’s a bit different this year. Given the reduced aerodynamic downforce levels and the proximity in the calendar, we are going to use a package similar to Spa because these are now the only two tracks where drag is reduced compared to our baseline configuration. Since Monza remains the most demanding circuit in terms of top speed, we will have an update of our front and rear wings and we expect to be competitive again. But Monza is different from Spa due to the chicanes, which generate greater braking energy and require good braking stability. We will have a brake configuration with better cooling. The excessive tire wear experienced by Jarno [Trulli] during the race at Spa should not be repeated. »