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Brazil: The Bumpy Road
By Nick Sparkes
September 28 2005
Pretty much everyone expected Toyota to head to Brazil with the aim of outscoring Ferrari and closing the gap to last year’s champions. Yet for the South American Grand Prix Panasonic Toyota Racing showed more of a form which had dominated Ferrari’s 2005 season… that being slow and demoted.

Interlagos Report  – The Bumpy Road

 

Taking the middle ground

 

Interlagos is a unique circuit because if it were a British road it would be torn up and the surface of the track relayed due to all those bumps. Over the years they have tried to level out the bumps, but the cars still jump around as if they were on a bouncy castle. Toyota like so many times this season needed a strong result after another less than average race pervious. Throughout Practice it was clear, Toyota’s TF105 wasn’t designed to take on Brazils challenging race track, the bumps bumping the team down to the middle of the grid. Even Ricardo Zonta’s third fastest time on Friday seemed a one off, as Saturday saw both Ralf Schumacher and Jarno Trulli stranded in the center of the field. But point’s finishes were still on the cards; a podium along way off, a win – near impossible task. 

 

From bad to worse

 

Toyota is renowned for their reliability, having one of the most reliable engines in the pit lane. But on Saturday, that record went straight out the window. Jarno Trulli suffered a pneumatic problem in the morning sessions, forcing the team to change his engine, giving him a 10-place drop on the grid. Therefore Jarno was left with an impossible task for qualifying as high as possible to limit the damage. To make matters worse, Jarno would run early due to his late retirement in Belgium.

 

To put it kindly, neither driver had the confidence to push on their single lap. Jarno running on a heavy tank of fuel would end the session a welcoming eighth, which became eighteenth after adding his 10 place drop. Ralf also struggled, putting in a clean but none exciting lap, the German could only manage the eleventh fastest time, which became tenth after Jarno’s penalty. If Toyota wanted to shoot themselves in the foot then Saturday was today as their main rival Ferrari, out-qualified them to line up in or around the points paying positions. With the constructors’ being so important, Toyota had a really battle on their hands as they entered race day.

 

Michelin or Toyota?

 

Panasonic Toyota Racing suffered throughout the Brazilian Grand Prix. Jarno Trulli was held up after a first corner accident and again by traffic, Jarno would later retire on the final lap due to another pneumatic problem. Ralf Schumacher also suffered from a badly balanced car, yet the German would speed up towards the end challenging Jenson Button for seventh place, Ralf crossed the line in eighth.

 

The main issue during the race was the decrease in grip from the Michelin tyres. This catered for the lack in performance for some of the Michelin runners, including Ralf Schumacher. Ralf later complained that his tyres were not up to scratch, Michelin then issued a statement agreeing that the tyres were not up to their normal standards. I find it amazing that this has happened just weeks after Toyota agreed to use Bridgestone tyres from next season. Is Michelin feeling hurt by being dumped in favour of a rival company? Surely not! I mean, wasn’t it Michelin who welcomed their teams to move across to their rival Bridgestone’s for next season? Although surprised to hear of such a “mistake” which didn’t take place on a Renault or a McLaren, I truly believe that this was an error, and not a continuing one. Although, we are heading to Bridgestone’s home country Japan in two weeks time, which is also Toyota’s home Grand Prix. I hope Michelin aren’t becoming too greedy, as the partnership between Toyota and Michelin has been strong even before their Formula One days, and a move shouldn’t alter anyone’s ambitions.

 

We have our new champion

 

It was easy to expect, but when Fernando Alonso crossed the line in Brazil it was confirmed, Formula One had a new champion. The youngest pole sitter, podium finisher and race winner had finally taken another record, which even the likes of Michael Schumacher cannot beat, the youngest World Champion. Even q McLaren one two failed to dampen the sprits of the talented Spaniard, who was ecstatic when he stepped out of his car. So the championship battle between Kimi Raikkonen and Fernando Alonso is over, but with two races to go the constructors’ is still all to play for, where McLaren has the upper hand over Renault but by only a handful of points.

 

Its party time for Toyota!

 

Lets hope the disappointment of Brazil will not continue into Japan in two weeks time. Toyota’s home race will hopefully be more of a celebration of the team’s achievements and the icing on the cake would be the debut of their TF105B. Expectations? They really need to outscore Ferrari with a double podium, and with Renault and McLaren looking so strong, that’s the top four finishers lined up. A tough weekend will be in store, but hopefully not as tough as Brazil.

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