European GP: Toyota Moves Straight Ahead Still Highly Motivated

After a month-long break, the Toyota team is determined to return to the top for the European Grand Prix in Valencia. The last race went very well as both cars finished in the points. It’s an experience everyone would like to repeat this weekend. First and foremost, the drivers want to secure their position in the driver standings or even improve. Jarno Trulli seems very motivated by this return after the holidays.

Timo Glock, for his part, has bad memories of last year’s race and intends to forget it this season by scoring points. The single-seaters, the TF109s, seem well-suited to the circuit’s configuration in terms of aerodynamics. Toyota therefore arrives in Spain under the best auspices.

Jarno Trulli – Racing Driver

« I am really happy to be back racing, it’s good to have a break with family, but my passion remains racing. A lot of time has passed since the last Grand Prix. Valencia is not an exciting track for me, but it doesn’t matter much if we are competitive. Unlike Monaco, Valencia is a fast street circuit that should suit our car. Our goal is to finish in the top six. It was great to get both cars in the points in Hungary. The Valencia track is different, so it’s hard to predict at this stage of the week, but my goal is to score as many points as possible. »

Timo Glock – Racing Driver:

« I really love street circuits and generally perform very well on them. However, last year’s race was difficult for me because I had a bad cold, and it was a real ordeal to finish the race. So I couldn’t enjoy it as much as I wanted to. This year, I am determined to truly enjoy the car and we hope to finish the GP in a better position than in 2008. We know that overtaking is very difficult on this track, so qualifying will be especially important. It’s a similar situation to the previous race in Hungary. After finishing among the top six starting from 13th on the grid in Budapest, this weekend, my goal is to start as high as possible and give myself the best chances for a good race result. I had a good time during the summer break, but I also did some fitness exercises. »

Pascal Vasselon – Deputy General Manager for Chassis:

« Valencia is, by definition, an urban track on public roads, but in many ways, it is different from Monaco or Singapore. The average speed is relatively high with very long straights, so the aerodynamic requirements are totally different compared to other street tracks. Unlike Monaco or Singapore, you do not lack downforce, we are in the average range. Yet, it is an urban race with obstacles that are very close, so there is little margin for error. We are confident for this Grand Prix because the circuit matches what seems to be the best aerodynamic efficiency window on our car. We are really looking forward to racing after the summer break and we expect a positive result. »