Panasonic Toyota Racing Team Going For Better Podium Position in Malaysian Grand Prix
Shah Alam, 8 March 2006 – New regulations, a new tyre contract with Bridgestone, and a new F1 racing car are the changes that make Team Panasonic Toyota Racing team hopeful for a better podium position in the forthcoming Malaysian Grand Prix. The team has been working hard all winter doing testing and development of the new Toyota F1 car, the TF106. Following the team’s historic second place in the Malaysian GP last year, it looks like they are going to try for top position this time.
Commenting on the 2006 race, Managing Director of UMW Toyota Motor Sdn Bhd, Mr. David Chen said, “2006 will be an exciting season for Toyota. We will go into the season with great motivation and determination to win races.”
“This year, Toyota has put in various strategies to raise our position and hopefully capture our maiden victory. We enter this season with an unchanged team line-up and this stability should augur well for us,” added Chen, who was speaking at the Toyota F1 Media launch in Shah Alam earlier today. Also present were Mr. Hiroshi Nakamura, Managing Director of Panasonic Malaysia and Mr. Yoshiaki Hiraishi, Managing Director of Bridgestone Tyre Sales Malaysia.
“We wil lbe racing with the new challenger, the TF106. We believe this car can produce a higher level of performance than any of the race cars in the previous seasons,” said David Chen.
The new TF 106 is said to have a host of new features, namely improvements to the aerodynamics for improved handling, including new front and rear wings, new side pods, a modified rear diffuser, a new engine cover that has an improved engine cover, and a restyled engine floor. The front end is an evolution of the TF105B used in the last two races of the 2005 season, while the rear is all-new, to accommodate the new Toyota V8 engine.
The 2006 team drivers are Ralf Schumacher and Jarno Trulli, both entering their second season with the team. The Panasonic Toyota team shall carry the competition numbers 7 and 8. Ricardo Zonta will serve as the third driver, while Olivier Panis will be the official test driver.
Toyota finished fourth in last year’s championship with Ralf Schumacher finishing 6th in the driver’s championship with 45 points.
