03/04/2004

Grand Prix of Bahrain - Qualifying Report

Panasonic Toyota Racing has enjoyed a tremendous qualifying session for the inaugural Bahrain Grand Prix with both Olivier Panis and Cristiano da Matta qualifying their Toyota TF104s in the top 10 for the first time this season.

Both team principals and drivers alike have been highly impressed with the job that has been done with the Bahrain circuit which is both interesting and highly technical. Even the world's best drivers are admitting that it is no easy challenge and that it could be a tough race considering that off the racing line dust makes the surface very slippery.

Frenchman Panis will start the race from eighth on the grid with a lap in 1m31.686s while Brazilian Da Matta is just one slot further back with a 1m31.717s lap. In actual fact Olivier might face the more difficult task at the start of the race considering that those cars which have qualified in even-numbered positions will start from the dirtier side of the circuit. That is not normally too big an issue but it is a more significant factor at dusty venues. In that respect Bahrain could well turn out to be like the Hungarian circuit.

After a difficult start to the season Panis said: "I have to congratulate the team on the way they have responded and worked hard to optimise our situation. I did a good lap today and if the kind of reliability we have shown at the first two races continues here we should score points."

Da Matta added: "We have gone well right from the beginning here and managed to take the momentum forward into qualifying. I was seventh quickest in free practice this morning and the car has a good feel. I think the chassis/tyre package is well suited to the smooth surface and it is good for us to have both cars solidly in the top 10."

Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro has once again secured the front row of the grid with Michael Schumacher (1m30.139s) taking his third successive pole position ahead of team mate Rubens Barrichello (1m30.530s). The BMW Williams F1 Team drivers occupy row two with Juan Pablo Montoya (1m30.581s) and Ralf Schumacher (1m30.633s). Continuing the symmetry Lucky Strike BAR Honda drivers Takuma Sato (1m30.827s) and Jenson Button (1m30.856s) qualified fifth and sixth.

Panasonic Toyota Racing's Technical Director Chassis Mike Gascoyne said: "This is a boost for everyone and a deserved reward for all the hard work that has gone on since Melbourne. It's a great achievement to get both cars well into the top 10 when Formula 1 is as tightly fought as it is now. The cars showed good balance the drivers did a solid job and importantly we are happy with our tyre choice. They have shown both strong one lap performance and good consistency which means that we can be optimistic of a points finish."

The TF104s have not been the only Toyota cars on track this weekend. Toyota in Bahrain are one of the major sponsors of the Bahrain International Circuit and part of this deal sees Toyota's luxury car model Lexus become official course car for the race weekend.