Toyota is committed to Formula One despite its lack of success since entering the circus in 2002.
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It has yet to chalk up a race victory but executive vice president for research and development Kazuo Okamoto predicted that the race team’s fortunes would take a turn for the better with a race win next season.
This would be achieved with further development for its 2008 cars and a change of driver.
Ralf Schumacher’s contract has come to and end and Okamoto said the company would be looking for “a younger driver” to fill the vacant seat, adding with a smile: “a young Spanish driver would make us very happy.”
He said talks were progressing with possible replacements for Schumacher and Okomoto added that as long as Toyota is involved in the motor industry it will take part in top level motorsport.
“We obviously can’t be involved in everything but currently F1 and NASCAR in the United States are the pinnacle and that is where we have to be.”
He admitted Toyota has underestimated the challenge presented by F1. “We soon discovered that the other teams had a lot more experience and that made it difficult for a newcomer like us.
“But we will not pull out just because we haven’t won a race. F1 is an important development ground for Toyota.”
How does the company square F1 with the environmentally-friendly technology it showcases at the Tokyo Motor Show? Okamoto believes that there are opportunities on that score.
“There are development opportunities for using hybrid technologies and bio-fuels in F1 in the future. Motorsport is all about dreams and passion. I think we can be pushing those while coping with the CO2 issue.”
Okamoto also said that Toyota will start producing sports cars again. It has not replaced models such as the Celica Coupe and the MR2. The two seater was phased out last year.
He added: “We need to revive our sports cars but I cannot say when that will be – we will have an answer some time in the near future.
“We also have an opportunity to develop hybrid systems for sports models.”
