Saturday: Toyota fights for a podium

After two races that contrasted with the fabulous start to the season, the Toyota team seems on the verge of returning to its best form. This time the competition will be even tougher as, in addition to Brawn GP and Red Bull, Ferrari must now be added as a contender for victory.

Tomorrow, Jarno Trulli will start from the 5th position on the grid at the Turkish Grand Prix. The whole team is happy with this performance. Timo Glock should have even made it into Q3 to secure a place in the top 10, but a mistake on his last lap in Q2 nearly takes him out of the race. He ranks 13th.

Jarno Trulli – 2nd and 5th:

« I am satisfied with this good result, especially after the difficult period last weekend. We have made great progress and it’s good to be back at the front. The situation regarding the tires is a bit complicated today. This is because I was very fast on hard tires when I thought I would be better on softs. We need to analyze the data to give ourselves the best chance tomorrow. I am looking forward to the race. We are not far from pole position, which gives us great hopes for tomorrow’s race. Obviously, it is a long race and it is difficult to predict what will happen, but I will fight to finish on the podium. »

Timo Glock – 3rd and 13th:

« It wasn’t easy for me and it’s disappointing not to be in the top 10. This morning, we were fast and the setup was right. But when we had to choose the tires taking into account the car’s fuel load, some oversteer appeared contrary to the morning. We were still competitive and thought we could make it into the top 10, but on my last lap of Q2, I made a mistake in the last sector and that’s it. I lost time, which compromised my qualification. But it’s easier to overtake here than in Monaco, I don’t give up for the race. »

Pascal Vasselon – General Director Chassis:

« We are clearly having a better weekend than in Monaco. It’s the result of our enormous efforts to understand our problems. We are also bringing new parts here. However, we cannot be entirely satisfied. We didn’t get both our cars into the top 10, which is a shame, especially since we had very high hopes before qualifying. Unfortunately, Timo Glock made a mistake in the last sector where he was under pressure, which explains his grid position. »

« Jarno Trulli did very well and it feels good to be back at the front of the grid. Naturally, we want to fight for the podium here, so we were looking for a bit better than fifth place. Still, that’s not the case and now we need to maximize our chances for the race. »