Trulli hoping troubles are over
Jarno Trulli is in talks with Toyota to extend his contract beyond this season - and he hopes to strengthen his bargaining position with an upturn in fortunes.
The Italian, who joined Toyota from Renault last year, has yet to score a point in 2006 after a troubled start to the campaign.
But he is convinced he can return to form and stake his claim for a drive next season – by which time, he revealed, a move away from Toyota remains a possibility.
Trulli said: “I have several options. I am already in talks with Toyota. At the moment we are looking at the job here, and I hope very soon I can say what we are doing next year.”
Trulli’s team-mate Ralf Schumacher has also struggled at times this year and has just seven points to his name, thanks mainly to an unexpected third place in Australia.
Trulli refuses to be downbeat over his problems so far and hopes this weekend’s Spanish Grand Prix will see a return to form.
“I am always optimistic,” he added.
“I have learnt in my career you have to be optimistic – I have had so much bad luck in the past. I am sure we can turn it around.
“We have the potential but we have struggled a little bit. It hasn’t been a very nice start to the championship for me, but I am still confident we can turn it around.
“In the last few years I have been twice on the podium here. I am confident. Last year I was very competitive, so I have to be confident. The season is still long.”
Toyota’s troubles earlier in the season cost technical director Mike Gascoyne his job after a row with senior management, who this week promoted Pascal Vasselon as his replacement.
Trulli has faith in former Michelin man Vasselon to guide Toyota through stormy waters but regrets the departure of Gascoyne, who was credited with masterminding the team’s improvement in 2005.
Trulli said: “He has been working next to Gascoyne for a long time, so he knows the job a bit. It is a new experience for him, but he has a group of people around him who are capable.
“Very little has changed. It is a shame when you lose a good engineer. But that’s part of Formula One – drivers, engineers and team members come and go.
“It is obviously a shame the team has lost Mike, but there was some conflict with the team. We just have to carry on.”
| Related Stories: |
|
