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Toyota: Sights set firmly on first win

Toyota team bosses say the goal for the 2009 season is to score their first victory and challenge regularly for the podium with their new TF109 car

"The goal for me is clear: we want to win our first race," said Toyota team president John Howett.

"To put ourselves in the best possible position to fight for our first victory, we need to be consistently challenging for the podium and scoring big points regularly."

Team principal Tadashi Yamashina added: "Our target this year is to try to win the first race for Toyota in Formula One. When I took over as Chairman and Team Principal in 2007 I stated my task for the first year would be to observe, for the second year it would be to improve and for the third year and beyond it would be to succeed.

"This is my third season so it is very clear for me - I want to see us win a race.

"Of course at every Grand Prix weekend we try to win but unfortunately we have not been able to do so until now. For Toyota our objectives are clear at each race; we want to win and if that is not possible we want to finish on the podium."

The Cologne-based squad scored two podium finishes on their way to fifth place in the Constructors' Championship last season, their most competitive since 2005.

Howett admitted the team have all the right ingredients so there are no excuses not to be fighting for victory.

"We are hungry to win and ready to win, there should be no doubt about that," he added. "The new regulations pose an extra challenge but at the same time offer an opportunity.

"We have everything we need to win; we have some exceptionally talented people and huge motivation to succeed so now it is down to us to actually make it happen."

Yamashina said he had been impressed with the work carried out on the new car and is adamant the team are ready to make more progress towards the front.

"I am always optimistic and I firmly believe we have a big opportunity this year," he said. "I have been impressed by the team's work on the TF109 and we already made great progress last year due to strong team work and good communication.

"Formula One is a very difficult challenge and, unlike when you develop a road car, every two weeks you are judged in front of the whole world. But this has made the team strong and I believe we are in a good position for this season."

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