Trulli ready for busy winter

Jarno Trulli is ready for a busy winter testing with Toyota and already feels at home with his new team. The Italian joined Toyota towards the end of the 2004 season and is now looking forward to 2005 with the Cologne based squad. Toyota has not exactly enjoyed a stellar time in its three years in F1 but Trulli believes things can only get better.

Jarno Trulli.

Photo by Toyota Racing.

"There are obviously a few things to be improved for next season but generally the team has made me feel very welcome and I see a lot of potential for the upcoming years," he said. "Over the winter, we will be testing as much as possible to prepare for 2005. It will certainly be very busy."

Trulli parted company with Renault in 2004 after the Italian Grand Prix but he has no regrets about his year. He scored his maiden F1 victory in Monaco and although his time with Renault ended rather abruptly, it gave him the chance to join Toyota earlier than he expected.

"It has been a year in which I achieved an ambition and won my first grand prix," he said about 2004. "And the fact that I did it from pole position, in Monte Carlo, made it even more special."

"Then there was my Spa pole position as well, followed by the chance to join Toyota straight away and be quick and competitive. I couldn't have had a better season, but I am anticipating even greater things to come with Toyota."

Trulli will be teammate to Ralf Schumacher next season and Toyota will launch its 2005 challenger, the TF105, in Barcelona on January 8th. It is the first car to be overseen by technical director Mike Gascoyne, who joined Toyota from Renault at the end of 2003.