Toyota aims for more points in Melbourne
Toyota begins its second year as a Formula 1 entrant in the Australian Grand Prix this weekend, and the team's chief personnel are gunning to repeat last year's points scoring performance in Melbourne on Sunday.
The Cologne-based squad received a massive boost when Olivier Panis outpaced the new Ferrari F2003-GA in testing at Jerez recently, and team principal Ove Andersson is upbeat about its chances.
"It is strange to be back in Melbourne to start our second season in F1," said Andersson. "We have now spent seven weeks intensively testing the TF103 to prepare it to its optimum level for this race. I am, as always, reluctant to predict how we will go, but I know Olivier and Cristiano [Da Matta] will give 110 percent effort."
Although Panis is expected to lead its charge, Brazilian rookie da Matta will be under the microscope as he makes his grand prix debut on Sunday.
"I have never driven at this track before and it will be my first F1 race, so I am expecting a big challenge this weekend," said da Matta. "Last week's tests in Imola and Jerez were quite promising and I have got a reasonably good feel for the TF103. With the revised rules I will not have so much on-track time before the first qualifying session on Friday afternoon, but I am upbeat and confident. We will be able to really see where we are compared to the other teams and it should be fun."
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