35 replies to this topic

[330R]

16/09/2004
Jarno Trulli completes Toyota's 2005 driver line-up
The Panasonic Toyota Racing team has today confirmed that Jarno Trulli will join the team as a race driver from 2005. The Italian driver signed a two-year contract on Tuesday 14 September at Toyota Motorsport's headquarters in Cologne, which will see him partner German driver Ralf Schumacher from next season.


http://www.toyota-f1...race/index.html


So there it is finally

[wagner]

Shame that Zonta get no chance at Toyota, so far he has fared better than OP or CdM. Would have been a cheap driver and propably not much lesser on track than RS or JT ... oh I forgot Toyota racing team has a huge budget from Toyota to waste somewhere

[doggy]

there goes that stupid and unfair rumor of JT taking bribe from BAR to drive slowly...

[330R]

Originally posted by doggy
there goes that stupid and unfair rumor of JT taking bribe from BAR to drive slowly...

Yeah I didn't like that rumor either, for either Trulli or BAR.

Now with Trulli definitely going to Toyota, the pickings just got slimmer for BAR.

I suppose Coulthard is the logical choice now.

[Clatter]

He will also be testing for Toyota today at Silverstone.

[KWSN - DSM]

Bad choice by Toyota. If true they only signed contract this week, they shoud based on his anemic performance the last two months decided against him.

Zonta would be an equally good choice, and is already with the team.

I am surprised to learn that Zonta stays with them, I though he would pursue a race seat for 2005.

[ryka]

Good news! I'm glad to know the contract is done finally. Trulli's a good driver and nice fellow. He deserves the seat.

[HSJ]

Heh, it was pretty funny how some anti-JT people on this bb were suggesting for the last couple of days that JT wasn't going to Toyota. They had their theories like going to BAR and hence trying to sabotage Renault, and whatever else to make this or that thing/team/person look good/bad. Well, JT goes to Toyota. Ha! I will enjoy seeing JT in a Toyota next year, although I'm still rather sceptical of JT-RS as a pairing.

[Taxi]

HSJ : Ralf and Trulli are a very good pairing. Youngs and fast. Their problem is their mental strenght. If Toyota manage a good car, then they will rock! [ well... 25 points among the two...]

[kenjafield]

Originally posted by KWSN - DSM
Bad choice by Toyota. If true they only signed contract this week, they shoud based on his anemic performance the last two months decided against him.

Zonta would be an equally good choice, and is already with the team.

I am surprised to learn that Zonta stays with them, I though he would pursue a race seat for 2005.

Given Toyota's track record with drivers, and the two drivers that Toyota have hired, I wouldn't be surprised to see an early return for Zonta in a Toyota in 2005/2006.

[EvilPhil]

Whos to say he wasnt paid by Toyota to drive slowly to get 'released' from Renault so he could join Toyota early?

Two very interesting points, firstly note that Jacques helmet is unbranded in the Renault... i assume this is because it takes a while to paint these helmets... so the lack of warning didnt allow it....

Then look at this...

http://www.f1racing....5174&catID=1436

and this...

http://www.f1racing....5185&catID=1436

;)

[Jackman]

It looks like he's wearing a spare Toyota helmet to me. Maybe that was what they had lying around in the pits today.

[EvilPhil]

Ummmm no.... that is Trulli's new silver helmet design.

[BRG]

Jarno and Ralf? For Toyota's sake, let's hope that at least one of their two stars turns up ready to race at every GP. Although looking at their records, you have to think that there are going to be some races where neither driver is going to be interested.

I do not understand Toyota's driver policy and have not understood it from the very start. I am no fan of Salo, but he is easily as good as any other past, present or future Toyota F1 driver. Why didn't they stick with him? At least they would have had some continuity. Now all they've got is a prima donna and qualifying hero..

[Jackman]

Originally posted by EvilPhil
Ummmm no.... that is Trulli's new silver helmet design.

Okay, this shows it much better. Guess he's got the ultimate corporate lid these days.

[ryka]

Originally posted by EvilPhil
Whos to say he wasnt paid by Toyota to drive slowly to get 'released' from Renault so he could join Toyota early?

EvilPhil,
Why do you insist on vilifying the man even in absence of any real reasons and evidences????
Shame on you! This is mean action.

[EvilPhil]

Because if you dont use your own brain to work these things out based upon the rumours and clear evidence in front of you... you get no story.

EDIT: It will be interesting to see now if Zonta is replaced by Trulli for the remaining GP's.... this then ties everything up...

• Renault sign Fisi
• Trulli annouces leaving Renault
• Toyota put Damatta on the sidelines for rest of season
• Trulli continually under performs whilst being very very outspoken about Renault. (not the common thing to do if you wish to remain on good terms is it?)
• Renault Release Trulli to join Toyota
• Trulli takes Da Mattas race seat for rest of season?

[Jackman]

Originally posted by EvilPhil
Because if you dont use your own brain to work these things out based upon the rumours and clear evidence in front of you... you get no story.

I don't know about a story, but you certainly get some salacious rumours that way.

[UPRC]

I can't really picture Trulli driving for Toyota, just seems out of place.. o_O

Ah well.. He is a strong driver and combined with Ralf I expect to see some decent results next year.

[mikedeering]

Talking of pictures of Trulli at Toyota - good to see he bothered to have a shave and comb his hair for the official shots! He looked like a yeti at the Monza press conference.

[Dino G]

I think that Toyota would have been better served with DC.

I don't think much of Jarno as far as his racing ability, but he is amazingly fast over a single lap. If he could ever find the consistency needed to win, he would be something.

I think Ralf will mop the floor with Jarno's overalls...not because of qualifying, which both are good at, but in race trim i think he will be much stronger.

FA had some reliability issues and it seems that he may be in a slight sophmore jinx stage which has flattered Trulli, yet no one buys it. Everyone still sees FA as the better of the two.

Who on Earth is left to drive for BAR? DC is the last man standing with any reputation at all.

[speedmaster]

I'm foreseeing a debacle to Toyota next year.. it is just wait and see....;)

[ryka]

Originally posted by mikedeering
Talking of pictures of Trulli at Toyota - good to see he bothered to have a shave and comb his hair for the official shots! He looked like a yeti at the Monza press conference.

Very lovely yeti, I must say!

BTW, where did you see the pics of Trulli in Toyota official shots? A link, pls!

[MortenF1]

After "Ralf to Toyota", "Trulli to Toyota" was F1's worst kept secret. I agree with BRG, Toyota's driver philosophy, or rather the lack of it, is strange. Now we've known for a long time that they'd be replacing both drivers again, but why they didn't keep one of Salo or McNish beyond the debut year, I'll never know.
I see Trulli and Ralf Schumacher as two drivers of relatively equal ability, and if Gascoyne's car is decent next year, they will do well. But they're certainly not among the strongest pairings.
They'll match each other on both Saturdays and Sundays, and it will be hard to pick a real winner I think.

[GerardF1]

I think that Toyota has gotten one of the weaker driver pairings on the go.

Perhaps Gascoyne is convinced that he can do for them what was done for HHF after he left first Williams for Jordan.... and we know how that ended

Gerard

[ryka]

Originally posted by GerardF1
I think that Toyota has gotten one of the weaker driver pairings on the go.

Perhaps Gascoyne is convinced that he can do for them what was done for HHF after he left first Williams for Jordan.... and we know how that ended

Ended... Already without Gascoyne!
But at first there was the 3d place in the Champ for HHF in 99!
But already at the mid of 2000 Mike started to pack his bags, moving from Jordan to Renault. And thr team began to weak.

[doggy]

people who are still talking baseless **** about JT taking money to go slowly should just **** off and get a life.

[Rene]

I think Ralf will wipe the floor with Jarno, with the exception of qualifying where Jarno will be moderately quicker....

[MortenF1]

I thought about adding "...but maybe Ralf Schumacher will score more points?"
I can agree with you to a certain extent on that one, Rene. But "wipe the floor..." is an exaggeration.

[mikedeering]

Originally posted by ryka


Very lovely yeti, I must say!

BTW, where did you see the pics of Trulli in Toyota official shots? A link, pls!

http://www.atlasf1.com/gallery/

[Ghostrider]

It will be odd pairing in a view, I think both of them think they will beat the other, so one of them will be annoyed.

I think Trulli is the faster, unless he comes into these kind of slumps that he has had recently with Renault.

[MONTOYASPEED]

Originally posted by speedmaster
I'm foreseeing a debacle to Toyota next year.. it is just wait and see....;)

They can't go much lower.

[Rene]

Originally posted by race addicted
I thought about adding "...but maybe Ralf Schumacher will score more points?"
I can agree with you to a certain extent on that one, Rene. But "wipe the floor..." is an exaggeration.

Perhaps, although I said Fisi would wipe the floor with Massa, and look what happened

[Ghostrider]

Originally posted by Rene
Perhaps, although I said Fisi would wipe the floor with Massa, and look what happened

Yeah, but with Fisi it is always easy to make that kind of predictions.

[doggy]

he looks odd in toyota's suit. toyota's paint scheme is also the ugliest of all.

toyota doesn't say outright that JT won't race in the remaining races. it would be great, but i doubt renault would have allowed that on his release. why would they want him to score?

Both toyota's drivers will be very motivated next season, especially trulli. i think them and toyota will make lots of people here looking like asses (btw, toyota as a brand doesn't get me excited).

[checkonetwo]

i think trulli is going to have a fantastic season 2005 in the first true gazzayota and will have an entertaining slap-fest with ralf.

btw, that badmouthing with regards to janro and taking some dough for driving slow is really below par stuff. i firmly believe he would never do something like that. so cut it, please.

thank you.