Podium to push Toyota further forward

Jarno Trulli caused a surprise in Magny-Cours when he used an upgraded car to emerge as Ferrari's closest challenger - holding off McLaren's Heikki Kovalainen and BMW Sauber's Robert Kubica for third place.

That result, on the back of a mixed start to the campaign, is viewed by Vasselon as vital in helping lift the team's efforts to deliver even better results over the remainder of the campaign.

"For the whole team it is very good to have efforts rewarded," Vasselon told autosport.com. "Because all the teams are working very hard, when you have such a result you can work even harder, because you don't feel so tired. You don't feel the stress and the circumstances make for people pushing hard.

"It is also a true podium finish - there was no race incident involved. So it was really our position."

Trulli was clearly delighted with the result, which is his best result of the season and marked his first podium finish since the 2005 Spanish Grand Prix.

"For the team I think this is one of the best races, but it is difficult to say which one is the best (ever)," he explained. "I think the race is down to a great job from everybody.

"All weekend we have had to be there. After qualifying there was something in my mind. I knew that I could do it. I knew that it would be really, really hard but eventually we have done it."