Toyota launch: Team to nurture talent

Toyota Formula 1 team manager Ange Pasquali says that Formula 1's newest team is already looking to produce the star drivers of the future with its young driver development programme

As the Japanese car giant launches its maiden F1 challenger in Germany today (Monday), a list of young chargers has already been put in place in the hope of creating a staircase of talent to motorsport's highest level.

Australian youngster Ryan Briscoe heads the line-up and the 21-year-old has already had his debut F1 outing with Toyota earlier this year after winning the Italian Formula Renault Championship.

"We have basically done something that is more like an academy, rather than just a junior driver programme," said Pasquali. "To discover or try to identify the talent is the first thing. You also have to bring the drivers together and guide them."

Briscoe is joined by Frenchman Franck Perera, who is expected to graduate from karting to race cars next year, and the latest addition is this year's Swedish Formula Ford Champion Alex Storckenfeldt, who joined the Toyota ranks last week.

"I would be very pleased if one day anyone from our young driver programme becomes a Formula 1 driver," added Pasquali.

Despite its plans to nurture young talent, the Cologne-based team has yet to confirm who its test driver will be for next year and no announcement was made at Monday's launch.