Jarno Trulli could have driven for Ferrari
The Italian driver confided that he spent his best moments with Toyota, although at the time, he could have been hired by Scuderia Ferrari.
In the columns of the Italian newspaper La Stampa, Jarno Trulli reflected on his fifteen-year career which saw him pass through Renault and Toyota before being one of the figures in the return of the Lotus name to Formula One: « The happiest and most entertaining period remains the one spent at Toyota [between 2005 and 2009], when we fought for pole position and were competitive in races. But more than anything else, apart from the results, I am proud to have managed to realize my dream of racing in Formula One and to have stayed there for so many years without anyone’s help, solely thanks to myself. »
The Italian therefore does not harbor any regrets, not even for not having raced for Ferrari, which could indeed have happened: “No one knows, but now I think I can publicly thank Jean Todt for being one of the few team managers interested in me during my career. No one knows, but Todt offered me a seat at Ferrari,” reveals the Italian in the columns of *Autosprint*. “I won’t tell you exactly when, but I was engaged with Toyota and things were going very well. However, I had signed a long-term contract with the Japanese, and in my career, I have always honored my commitments. In 15 years of Formula One, I never needed lawyers.”
The native of Abruzzo has, however, rarely parted ways on good terms with his employers, and many will remember his highly publicized departure from Renault to Toyota mid-season, following his dismissal by Flavio Briatore. A sometimes difficult relationship with team bosses he worked with, which makes the relationship with Jean Todt all the more valuable: « I thank Todt not only for offering me the chance to drive for Ferrari, an opportunity that, unfortunately, I could not seize, but also because whenever I asked for his opinion, he gave it to me in a friendly and wise manner. He has always been very honest with me. I have always kept that to myself, but now the time has come to thank him. Regardless of how things turned out, for a moment, I felt like a Ferrari driver. »
