Trulli says he will win a race in 2009

The Italian has finished on the podium four times for the Japanese manufacturer since he joined them at the end of 2004, but he has not yet had the speed to take a win.

However, after an encouraging development programme through 2008, Trulli has growing expectations about what he can deliver next season.

"I can feel it: 2009 will be the year of my first victory with Toyota," Trulli was quoted as saying by Gazzetta dello Sport. "Mine is a challenge inside a challenge, with the car manufacturing giant seriously investing in F1 to demonstrate its great technology and potential.

"I can't say anything about the car yet, but I know there will be some very interesting new things."

Trulli thinks that new car regulations for next year will make the competition more intense - although he wants to reserve judgement on how much easier it will be to overtake until he has got behind the wheel of 2009 machinery.

"With the new regulations the cars aren't particularly pretty, but in theory they should make for more hard-fought racing, with the possibility of following a rival from close behind and launching an attack," he said.

"At the moment, however, only the engineers can express a judgement, while we'll have to wait."