With just four events to go in the 2005 season, Toyota has races in Belgium, Brazil, Japan and China in which to attempt to overcome the Italian team that has won the last six constructors championships.

“I made a good start,” said Trulli, who lined up fifth on the grid, “but those around me were quite a bit lighter on fuel and I lost out to Sato’s BAR and one of the Ferraris. But, as the race developed our strategy proved correct and the team performed good stops. It was a strong race for us even if we didn’t have the pace to challenge McLaren and Renault.”

Team mate Ralf Schumacher started four places further back but also made the most of a strategy aimed at optimising race performance. The German ran until lap 22 before making his first pit stop, two laps further than the sister TF105, and finished the race just 10s and one place behind Trulli.

“I had a few grip problems in the race,” Ralf said. “It was there from the start and I had to cope with both understeer and oversteer at various stages, especially when the car was heavy with fuel. But the team did a good job on strategy and our finishing positions proved that.”

The race was won by Team McLaren Mercedes driver Juan Pablo Montoya, who beat championship leader Fernando Alonso’s Mild Seven Renault into second place. Giancarlo Fisichella finished third in the second Renault, ahead of Kimi Raikkonen, who was a fighting fourth after an unscheduled pit stop. Behind Trulli and Schumacher, the final points were taken by Brazilian Antonio Pizzonia and BAR Honda driver Jenson Button. Pizzonia stood in for Nick Heifeld in the BMW Williams F1 Team as the German driver suffered the after effects of a testing accident at Monza last week.

The race was notable for being the first since the 1961 Dutch Grand Prix in which every starter was a classified finisher.

Chief race engineer Dieter Gass said: “I think we did everything that we could today and we are satisfied with fifth and sixth positions. I think if, before the season started, someone had offered us a finish ahead of both Ferraris at Monza, we’d have accepted that! The pace was genuine and Jarno set the fifth fastest lap of the race. The McLarens and Renaults were too strong for us but we managed to beat everyone else and close the gap to Ferrari to just eight points in the constructors championship. We will be trying our hardest to overhaul them in the remaining races.”

The team now moves straight on to the majestic Spa Francorchamps circuit in Belgium for round 16 of the busiest ever F1 season in just seven days time.