Q+A with Tadashi Yamashina, Chairman and Team Principal15.01.2009

What are your targets for 2009?

Our target this year is to try to win the first race for Toyota in Formula 1. 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. Toyota has a challenging spirit with very high ambitions so we must always aim high.

Were you happy with the 2008 results?

Of course I was happy to see such a big improvement on the previous seasons, and it was very satisfying to be back on the podium and the front row of the grid. However, we want more than this – we want to be fighting for wins and the World Championship. We had some great weekends but we must also remember the weekends where things did not go as well for us. The TF108 was generally a reliable car but still we lost quite a few points due to retirements and we cannot be happy about that. Our target is 100% reliability and we worked to develop counter-measures to move us closer to this target.

Are you optimistic about the team’s chances?

I am always optimistic and I firmly believe we have a big opportunity this year. 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 1 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.

Do you believe you have the right drivers to succeed?

I am sure Jarno and Timo are the right drivers for us this season. In my opinion Toyota has one of the best driver line-ups in Formula 1 and I am excited to see what they can do with the TF109. Both drivers proved last season that if we give them a competitive car they are capable of fighting with the best drivers in the world, so our challenge this year is to deliver a car which will allow them to do this more often. This is our goal and we will never give up.

What about Kamui Kobayashi?

I am very pleased to once again have Kamui as our third driver. He developed a lot during last year and he continues to learn and improve. I followed his progress last season in GP2 and GP2 Asia very closely; he had an exciting season, with some wins, but his results were not as good as I think he deserved. It is satisfying to have a young Japanese driver in Formula 1 with Toyota but Kamui knows he must work hard and continue improving.

It is now over two years since you joined Panasonic Toyota Racing – are you enjoying the challenge?

Challenge is the right word because succeeding in Formula 1 is not easy; that was clear to me very quickly after joining the team. This is a much more emotional job than anything I have experienced in the past because we experience such highs and lows together in a public environment 17 times a season. I really enjoy that aspect of Formula 1.

How emotional are you at the race track?

Sometimes I am very emotional at the track and I think this surprises some of the team members. They are not familiar with seeing a Team Principal kicking things in the garage when races do not go well! But I get really involved in the racing and when we are doing well I am cheering in the garage. I think it helps motivate the team to see that their hard work is appreciated, and it shows that everyone in the team cares deeply about our performance. I hope there will be a lot more cheering in our garage this season!

Does the team have full support from Toyota in Japan?

The top management at Toyota Motor Corporation has encouraged us never to give up, so always we will fight to win. Even in this current economic climate, TMC is very supportive of our team and everyone there follows our results closely. We receive many messages of support from Toyota employees and Toyota fans around the world and this motivates us to push as hard as possible to succeed. It provides positive pressure and we like that.