Japanese Grand Prix - Race Round-Up
BACK TO BAY SIX
Panasonic Toyota Racing has secured a double points finish
at today's Japanese Grand Prix after Jarno Trulli and Ralf
Schumacher took the flag in 6th and 7th places respectively.
Following the unsettled weather from the weekend, it stayed
dry again today around Suzuka and the race took place with
lots of sunshine and occasional clouds. The team came into
the race confident of success after its best qualifying result
of the season yesterday. Ralf Schumacher and Jarno Trulli
both started the race from the second row, in 3rd and 4th
places respectively. Both drivers made good starts and although
Jarno lost a position to Alonso into the first corner both
cars were able to keep up with the leaders for the duration
of their first stints. At the first pit stop, Jarno edged
ahead of Ralf with a quick lap on his new tyres. After the
second stops the pair dropped slightly down the order but
they battled hard to the flag. The eventual haul of five points
leaves Toyota just one point short of 5th place in the constructors'
championship and it sets up a promising season finale. The
team will test at Jerez on Wednesday and Thursday with Ricardo
Zonta and Olivier Panis at the wheel in preparation for the
last race at Brazil's Interlagos circuit in a fortnight.
Jarno Trulli (Car 8, Chassis TF106/08B)
Race Classification: 6th
Gap: +46.717s (from race winner)
Qualifying Classification: 4th
Time: 1m30.039s (+0.440s in Q3)
Grid: 4th
"Three points is not a bad result at the Japanese Grand
Prix, but we thought we would do better today. I made a good
start but I was boxed in going into the first corner and when
I tried to go around the outside I lost a place. Early on
the car felt good and I was easily able to stay with the leading
cars. After the pit stop I was able to put in a quick lap
on new tyres and I gained a place. Unfortunately it turned
into a hard race for me after the second stop. Our strategy
was pretty good, but I had several problems and struggled
with my last set of tyres, especially on the first ten laps.
We need to analyse what was different to yesterday, but the
conditions were a bit cooler today and so that maybe affected
our tyre performance. My pace improved after that but by then
I was in traffic and it was difficult to pull away. So we
could have had more but the important thing is that we both
scored points for the constructors' championship."
Ralf Schumacher (Car 7, Chassis TF106/10B)
Race Classification: 7th
Gap: +48.869s (from race winner)
Qualifying Classification: 3rd
Time: 1m29.989s (+0.390s in Q3)
Grid: 3rd
"I'm glad that we have come away with a total of five
points for the team but we could have achieved more today.
We made a strong start and I held third position into the
first corner. In fact the car felt good early on and we were
able to keep up with the pace of the front-runners until the
first stop. Jarno managed to get ahead of me on his new tyres
and from then on I spent most of the day following him around
the track. After the second pit stop he was slower than me.
I tried to overtake but decided that it was too dangerous
and too much of a risk with points at stake. Still, given
our difficult weekends at the last two races I think we can
be pleased with what we have achieved today."
Tsutomu Tomita – Team Principal
"That was an exhausting race and we are hugely disappointed
because our target was to finish on the podium today. Yesterday's
qualifying gave us fantastic grid positions and the dry conditions
were perfect. We made good starts and although Jarno lost
a place after Alonso's brave move we were able to keep up
with the pace of the leaders during the first stint. Our first
pit stop came just one or two laps before most of the other
cars so our strategy was right again. Jarno was able to get
ahead of Ralf on new tyres at the first pit stop but our pace
was still strong in the second stint. At that stage a podium
was still realistic, particularly given Michael's later problem.
Unfortunately after the second pit stop Jarno suffered a problem
that we will now have to investigate, which meant that he
was slower for the next ten laps. He also held up Ralf, who
was quicker at that stage, so that a few cars who should have
stayed behind us were able to pass us. That's how we were
in 6th and 7th at the finish. Today again shows that our car
is still just short of the very top cars, but we were happy
to have fought well in clear conditions without the safety
car. We had a lot of support today so we would like to express
our gratitude to all our fans, sponsors, TMC, distributors,
partners and our subsidiary companies. A big thank you to
all of them and we're sorry that we did not come away with
more today."
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