[imporrilk]

......for the titles?

Brawn and Williams are independent and as such will probably struggle to match the development pace of the big boys. So when Ferrari et all bolt on their fandango diffusers at some point in the european season you'd expect to see those independents slip into the pack.

But Toyota already have the head start on the swish aero and as they showed last year they can certainly maintain the development race all season, does this make them title winners in waiting??

[JMLot]

I'd say it's easier to make a decision on that when we see what the "big teams" turn up to Spain with. If McLaren, Ferrari, especially BMW can stick on a super-diffuser and grab half a second, like they're suggesting (I'm sceptical) then no, it'll be a struggle.

Alternatively, if due to the testing ban the other teams can't catch up fast enough, I certainly don't see any reason they can't be at the sharp end come the end of the year. Title winners? I still think Ferrari or BMW will beat them to it..

[Lenkapuppia]

I was talking Toyota up already throughout winter testing, shame rarely anyone believed me. Since 2007 Toyota has been making constant progress, they have finally found the right approach and have been making right decisions to really become a serious F1 team. The modest but adamant Japanese team is there to make a breakthrough despite everyone's disbelief. I love nothing more than when firm prejucides get proven wrong - this is how life on this planet keeps improving, when new opportunites are discovered. Rarely anyone believed that Toyota with its own 'way' can ever succeed in Formula One. They are there to believe in themselves and prove others wrong!

I don't know about 2009 titles, but so far, so good. 11 points in the bag plus decent grid positions for Malaysian GP.

As for diffusers, I think their effect is overrated. Of course it's hard to know for sure (as long as we haven't seen any other teams turning up with it), but BGP001 and TF109 are fundamentally good cars. Kubica and Räikkönen (from highly rated BMW and Ferrari teams) lost by more than 0,5 secs in Q2 to Button and Trulli. Wasn't there some suggestions like the DDD may give up to half a second per lap? Without that advantage JB and JT would still have been on the front row!

[TudareWQT]

I was talking Toyota up already throughout winter testing, shame rarely anyone believed me. Since 2007 Toyota has been making constant progress, they have finally found the right approach and have been making right decisions to really become a serious F1 team. The modest but adamant Japanese team is there to make a breakthrough despite everyone's disbelief. I love nothing more than when firm prejucides get proven wrong - this is how life on this planet keeps improving, when new opportunites are discovered. Rarely anyone believed that Toyota with its own 'way' can ever succeed in Formula One. They are there to believe in themselves and prove others wrong!

I don't know about 2009 titles, but so far, so good. 11 points in the bag plus decent grid positions for Malaysian GP.

As for diffusers, I think their effect is overrated. Of course it's hard to know for sure (as long as we haven't seen any other teams turning up with it), but BGP001 and TF109 are fundamentally good cars. Kubica and Räikkönen (from highly rated BMW and Ferrari teams) lost by more than 0,5 secs in Q2 to Button and Trulli. Wasn't there some suggestions like the DDD may give up to half a second per lap? Without that advantage JB and JT would still have been on the front row!

Live it up , Jens . You deserve it , for being such a die hard , loyal fan .

You took the lumps , now drink the champagne !

It was your boy Jarno that knew the rules , and got that trophy .
Not just that , but from pit lane no less .

They've got a great car , and it's nice to see , finally .

[onelovemp]

I was talking Toyota up already throughout winter testing, shame rarely anyone believed me. Since 2007 Toyota has been making constant progress, they have finally found the right approach and have been making right decisions to really become a serious F1 team. The modest but adamant Japanese team is there to make a breakthrough despite everyone's disbelief. I love nothing more than when firm prejucides get proven wrong - this is how life on this planet keeps improving, when new opportunites are discovered. Rarely anyone believed that Toyota with its own 'way' can ever succeed in Formula One. They are there to believe in themselves and prove others wrong!

I don't know about 2009 titles, but so far, so good. 11 points in the bag plus decent grid positions for Malaysian GP.

As for diffusers, I think their effect is overrated. Of course it's hard to know for sure (as long as we haven't seen any other teams turning up with it), but BGP001 and TF109 are fundamentally good cars. Kubica and Räikkönen (from highly rated BMW and Ferrari teams) lost by more than 0,5 secs in Q2 to Button and Trulli. Wasn't there some suggestions like the DDD may give up to half a second per lap? Without that advantage JB and JT would still have been on the front row!

I was one of the people who didn't believe in Toyota and I admit I was wrong and you were right . However, I don't think they are going to be in the title hunt, their driver line-up just isn't strong enough.

[Lenkapuppia]

I was one of the people who didn't believe in Toyota and I admit I was wrong and you were right . However, I don't think they are going to be in the title hunt, their driver line-up just isn't strong enough.

Toyota drivers are another ones, who need to prove their critics wrong. I for one don't think that Toyota's line-up is any inferior than for example Brawn's, but many seems confident that Button and maybe Barrichello are major title threats this year. Why not Jarno and Timo in that case?

To be more precise, I don't think Toyota's line-up is far from being one of the best line-ups in F1. If you find that statement unreasonable, I might expand it.

[spaxiaroorbes]

Ask me after Trulli wins tomorrow.....unless he gets dq for lapping Lewis

[Timoxari]

In answer to the question, it's very possible. They have a solid, fresh, but not raw star in the hard charging Timo Glock, and the experienced, cool headed, qualifying artist Jarno Trulli - I think they have a serious chance.

There's always been a part of me that has wanted Toyota to do well, and now I think they've found the right balance with the car and the drivers which suits them.

If you remember, Jarno qualified I think on the front row in Malaysia 2005, and finished second, so he can definitely win today.

Will he? I doubt it though. Button is very quick and heavier than the chasing pack, and even though I think Jarno will push him hard, you can never count out Rosberg, Webber, and definitely Barrichello if he gets a good start.

If it rains I think Toyota will struggle, going on history, but you never know they may have fixed their usually troublesome car in the rain.

[StitlyDute]

Ask me after Trulli wins tomorrow.....unless he gets dq for lapping Lewis

Talk to me after Rubens passes him on the last corner of the last lap for a podium.
Remember you heard it here

[Timoxari]

Talk to me after Rubens passes him on the last corner of the last lap for a podium.
Remember you heard it here

Harsh

[StitlyDute]

Harsh

Not any more harsh than when it happened at Magny-Cours 2004

[Timoxari]

Not any more harsh than when it happened at Magny-Cours 2004

As a Renault fan and a Trulli fan I've almost got my head in my hands just thinking about that lol!

He said he got his revenge last year in France though. Good on him

[Rufio]

Talk to me after Rubens passes him on the last corner of the last lap for a podium.
Remember you heard it here

Not before taking out a few cars

[QQ9ktYrV]

IMO BMW will win the titles, but we have to wait and see.

[UncoonsKala]

An important factor that Toyota need to watch out for is not to make their current form plateau. Personally myself, I reckon BMW, Renault, Williams and Red Bull will excel and improve further throughout the year. I'm yet to be convinced about Ferrari and McLaren, but these are really just my own hunches. Brawn need to be careful of this mass threat too. I think if Toyota keep up their current form,and then keep applying that extra edge as the development moves on, then they could well be in the hunt for the title. But only as much as their rivals. I don't see them possessing any distinct advantage over every team, but so far they're keeping themselves well in contention.

[Lenkapuppia]

Live it up , Jens . You deserve it , for being such a die hard , loyal fan .

You took the lumps , now drink the champagne !

It was your boy Jarno that knew the rules , and got that trophy .
Not just that , but from pit lane no less .

They've got a great car , and it's nice to see , finally .

Thanks, mate.
For me it's not really exciting to start cheering for someone at the front, but to choose someone from the bottom. Not to take an 'established' team, but to start following a new team, growing up together with them and following all of their steps in trying to establish themselves. ToyotaF1 ticks the box in these areas. Unlike many others they have very little racing heritage and are on course of creating one. It wasn't before 1996 as an engine supplier in CART they really started participating in notable racing series, having had WRC as their main motorsport activity before.

As for being loyal, hard times have only strengthened the support, making more compassionate. But times have been hard. I think the year of 2007 was the most difficult one of all. Back then, I must admit, it was impossible, just plain impossible to keep belief in a future breakthrough. I was fond of alternative options, how to minimise losses and come out with at least some kind of dignity - by investing into Williams and to become a front-runner at least as an engine supplier. I think this was the time, when besides the team itself almost no-one else believed in them. But it was the same 2007, when suddenly something clicked at Cologne - they finally made right conclusions of shortcomings and made decisions, how to start moving forward. At that time it wasn't apparent and for an outside observer they seemed lost.

http://www.motorsportforums.com/foru...ghlight=Toyota
A bit more than a year ago after 2008 Malaysian Grand Prix I brought out reasons for Toyota's rise. Those explanations are in my view appropriate also now. Back then that 4th place in that GP probably couldn't have meant much to a casual observer, but it meant a lot for me. It was like a lightning from a clear sky. It was the first sign of Toyota's commitment to break clear of the midfield and start troubling established top teams. And that sudden 'shine' came from almost nowhere, it was unexpected.

As long as results improve, there is every reason to be satisfied. Today's race marked another improvement for the team. This was Toyota' best ever wet weather performance by a mile. P3 and P4, while in the past they have never managed to get above P6 in rain. Also the strategy at least for Glock was great. It's quite incredible to see so much maturity in the team, who a few years ago reminded more of the... well yes, current Ferrari team if you'd like a comparison...

Finally. I'm not a betting man at all, but I may unveil that before the start of the season I just couldn't resist the very enticing odds on Toyota's WCC title... I took a huge gamble, but based on their winter testing performance, their general improvement and transformation as a team created belief that they are going to perform way above the expectations of most people. At the moment it looks like the title might not be an impossible goal at all.

[imporrilk]

I was talking Toyota up already throughout winter testing, shame rarely anyone believed me. Since 2007 Toyota has been making constant progress, they have finally found the right approach and have been making right decisions to really become a serious F1 team. The modest but adamant Japanese team is there to make a breakthrough despite everyone's disbelief. I love nothing more than when firm prejucides get proven wrong - this is how life on this planet keeps improving, when new opportunites are discovered. Rarely anyone believed that Toyota with its own 'way' can ever succeed in Formula One. They are there to believe in themselves and prove others wrong!

May I hop on your bandwagon then?

No seriously I have great affection for Toyota - when its bolted in the back of a Williams!

[Lenkapuppia]

May I hop on your bandwagon then?

No seriously I have great affection for Toyota - when its bolted in the back of a Williams!

I enjoy the co-operation between Toyota & Williams, which started from 2007, and I feel the legendary Grove team is worth a gratitude here. Toyota has certainly benefitted from the enormous experience of Williams and I think Williams is benefitting too, looking at their pace now. This may be a pure coincidence, but both have that radical diffuser...

[MeatteCen]

Where's pino?

He would enjoy all the attention on Jarno.

[SeftyJokipl]

......for the titles?

Brawn and Williams are independent and as such will probably struggle to match the development pace of the big boys. So when Ferrari et all bolt on their fandango diffusers at some point in the european season you'd expect to see those independents slip into the pack.

Development of what?

There is an engine freeze currently on, so there's not really going to be any development there, and given that Ross Brawn is in charge, we're likely to see him innovate his way through the rules.

2 from 2 is a pretty foreboding sort of beginning for everyone else.