Report – Toyota is in the FIA’s sights!

Toyota accumulates setbacks on this first race weekend. After being disqualified yesterday in qualifying for a non-compliant rear wing on their TF109, today it’s Jarno Trulli who attracts the ire of the FIA. He receives a 25-second penalty for overtaking Hamilton under the safety car in rather unclear circumstances. He finishes 12th overall.

Fortunately, Timo Glock is covering the rear as by gaining a position, he finds himself just off the podium. One thing is certain, Toyota is on point this season with the new technical regulations.

Jarno Trulli – 3rd:

« I can’t express how disappointed I am not to finish third today. When the safety car came out towards the end of the race, Lewis Hamilton was right in front of me, but he suddenly slowed down. I thought he had a problem, so I passed him because there was nothing else to do. I would like to thank the team once again for making a huge effort. Indeed, we were in a position to fight for the podium. »

Timo Glock – 4th (finished 5th):

« I am happy to finish fourth, but it is really disappointing for Jarno. For us, finishing in the top places after starting from the pit lane shows strong performances. It’s proof that our car has good pace. »

« The race was very exciting, even though I was stuck behind Alonso’s Renault for quite a while because it was difficult to overtake him. My car was handling well, but I couldn’t find a way to get past him. I said before the weekend that we were at the top judging by our winter testing, and this was confirmed in race conditions. »

Tadashi Yamashina – Team Principal:

« This is a very frustrating way to end a difficult weekend. Already, we were disappointed to start from the pit lane after the problem with our rear wing. We responded positively and in the race, we showed that our car was very competitive. »

« I want to thank everyone who is part of our team, not just the guys on the track, but everyone at the factory as well, our partners, and our fans. It’s sad that this result is being contested, but we have filed an appeal. »

Article modified on April 2 following the disqualification of Lewis Hamilton.