F I A Round 10: Nurbergring

[Nick-Johnson]

Toyota fail to shine despite strong qualifying sessions.

This weekend’s European Grand Prix saw Panasonic Toyota Racing have one of their strongest ever qualifying positions with Panis claiming P7 and team mate Da Matta snatching P10 ahead of Sundays race. The pace of both Toyotas looked strong right from the out set with Panis heading up the time sheet of Fridays free practice. Toyota were certainty making their presents known throughout the paddock, but could they back it up were it mattered. Unfortunately it wasn’t to be, after the storming qualifying the race pace was no better than average. Panis’s car was looking a handful to drive, out braking himself on a couple of occasions in to the Castrol – S, but unluckily the second time resulted in retirement from the race as he managed to stall the Toyota V10. Da Matta made it a another further 16 Laps down the road until terminal engine failure ended his race on lap 53. Toyota boss Ove Andersson commented on this weekend Grand Prix as been like “Chasing a Shadow” and was rightly disappointed not to come away without any kind of result whatsoever.

Formula One has now moved in the second half of the calendar with the circus moving on to Mangy-Cours in France for round 10 next weekend before most teams will be back in the UK for the Goodwood Festival Of Speed and the British Grand Prix.

Position/Driver Team Engine Time Laps

1 Ralf Schumacher Williams BMW 1h34m43.622s 60

2 Juan Pablo Montoya Williams BMW 1h35m00.443s 60

3 Rubens Barrichello Ferrari Ferrari 1h35m23.295s 60

4 Fernando Alonso Renault Renault 1h35m49.353s 60

5 Michael Schumacher Ferrari Ferrari 1h35m49.784s 60

6 Mark Webber Jaguar Jaguar Cosworth - 59

7 Jenson Button BAR Honda - 59

8 Nick Heidfeld Sauber Petronas Ferrari - 59

9 Heinz-Harald Frentzen Sauber Petronas Ferrari - 59

10 Antonio Pizzonia Jaguar Jaguar Cosworth - 59

11 Ralph Firman Jordan Ford Cosworth RS - 58

12 Giancarlo Fisichella Jordan Ford Cosworth RS - 58

13 Justin Wilson Minardi Ford Cosworth - 58

14 Jos Verstappen Minardi Ford Cosworth - 57

15 David Coulthard McLaren Mercedes-Benz - 56

16 Cristiano da Matta Toyota Toyota - 53

17 Jacques Villeneuve BAR Honda - 51

18 Jarno Trulli Renault Renault - 37

19 Olivier Panis Toyota Toyota - 37

20 Kimi Raikkonen McLaren Mercedes-Benz - 25

Nick