12/10/2003

Japanese Grand Prix - Race

The Panasonic Toyota Racing team ended the season on a high note in Suzuka today after Cristiano da Matta finished the Japanese GP in seventh place to score two championship points. Olivier Panis secured a two-car finish in the team's home grand prix completing the 53-lap race in 10th position. Starting from an impressive second row of the grid both drivers lost positions to drivers benefiting from a two-stop strategy. Da Matta ran strongly throughout the GP never dropping out of the points. The result takes Panasonic Toyota Racing's points tally to 16 and gives the team 8th in the constructors' standings.

Cristiano da Matta - Car Number 21
Session Classification:7th +56.794s (from race winner)
Grid:3rd
Chassis:TF103/07
"That was a fun but tough race and I am very pleased to score two more championship points in Toyota's home race. We started from a strong grid position and we were able to translate our improved performance yesterday into a points finish. Having said that I think we were capable of more. We started well and ran in fourth for a long time but we then lost some positions to the guys who were two-stopping. For my debut season in F1 and the team's second I think that we have done an excellent job even if the points have been difficult to come by. We have learned a lot over the last sixteen races and shown the full potential of the Toyota team so I am looking forward to more improvement next season."

Olivier Panis - Car Number 20
Session Classification:10th +1m01.814s (from race winner)
Grid:4th
Chassis:TF103/08
"I think we deserved more from today's race. We decided to do three stops and try to maintain our excellent qualifying positions but ultimately we couldn't match the pace of the teams who opted to stop twice. On a positive note we were able to get both cars past the chequered flag in front of the Japanese fans. We must now look ahead to next year with big confidence. I continue to be impressed by the work of the whole team. Together we have grown a lot throughout the season and we have made really big progress with the car. We can remember the 2003 season with some good memories and look to more highlights next year with a faster car strong grid positions more points and who knows what else?"

Ove Andersson - Team Principal
"To take two points in our home grand prix is a very nice feeling and we can return to Cologne with our heads held high. We finish the season in eighth position in the constructors' championship which is where we probably should be after only our second season in Formula 1. My ambition tells me that I would have liked to be further up but it was a more difficult year than our debut season and one from which we have learned a huge amount. I want to thank the team for the hard work and effort that every single person has put into this season. We will back racing next year with a better car and even more determination to be successful and to give our competitors an even harder time."

Weather:Cloudy but dry.
T-car:TF103/02 set-up for Olivier Panis. Spare: TF103/04.

Weekend at a Glance
Friday practice (dry track)
Panis P9 1m32.011s 21 laps
Da Matta P10 1m32.133s 25 laps

Friday qualifying (dry track)
Panis P13 1m31.908s (+1.627s)
Da Matta P14 1m32.256s (+1.975s)

Saturday practice 1 (dry track)
Da Matta P6 1m33.963s 19 laps
Panis P13 1m34.541s 14 laps

Saturday practice 2 (dry track)
Panis P7 1m33.082s 17 laps
Da Matta P9 1m33.133s 18 laps

Warm-Up (dry-damp track)
Da Matta P2 1m33.481s 5 laps
Panis No time set 4 laps

Saturday qualifying (dry-wet track)
Da Matta P3 1m32.419s (+0.706s)
Panis P4 1m32.862s (+1.149s)