Toyota deny plans to leave F1

Toyota insist they are fully committed to a future in Formula One after the team dismissed wild speculation they could be poised to quit the category for Le Mans because they are unhappy about new rules to cut costs.

Speculation about the future of Toyota emerged last week when comments by team president John Howett questioning whether Toyota would accept a standard engine in F1, made prior to last week's FIA cost cuts meeting, were recycled.

Further rumours emerged over the weekend when comments from team boss Tadashi Yamashina about Toyota's long-standing interest in Le Mans were interpreted by some as a sign of them quitting F1.

Although the FIA's plans to introduce a standard engine in F1 have prompted questions about the future of all the manufacturers currently competing, Toyota are adamant that they see themselves remaining in Grand Prix racing for many years yet.

They have made it clear, however, that the sport's quest for cost cuts must not come at the expense of the technological challenge the sport provides each competitor.

"Toyota are committed to succeeding in Formula One for the long-term and our objective in Formula One is to win - we exist to win and we are committed to doing that," said a team statement.

"However, we believe Formula One must remain a technological challenge; this is an important point for Toyota and provided this does not change we expect to continue in F1 until at least 2012."

The statement from Toyota added that although the Japanese manufacturer is interested in other challenges like Le Mans, there was no talk of them quitting F1 to do so.

"Toyota have never hidden their interest in considering new motorsport opportunities, including Le Mans," added the statement. "Currently no formal plan nor decision has been taken on changes or additions to the current programmes."

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Jordan: Hamilton must be ruthless

Former team boss Eddie Jordan says Lewis Hamilton must be prepared to ruthlessly retaliate in the event of a repeat of his Fuji collision with Felipe Massa.

Hamilton only needs a top five finish in Brazil to clinch the championship, so must not take unnecessary risks.

But Jordan says he must be ready to fight dirty if necessary.

"People may not like me for saying this, but if Massa tries to take him out as he did in Japan in order to steal the title then Lewis has to be ready for it," Jordan told the Daily Express newspaper.

"If he tries that on then Lewis has to turn his wheel into Massa to ensure he does not finish the race either - he has to take his wheel off."

Jordan believes that Hamilton will have no trouble clinching the title if he can maintain the serene form he showed when dominating Shanghai last week, but warned that he can't afford another erratic performance like the one he delivered in Japan.

"What happens next in the championship depends on whether Lewis has learnt from his last two races," he said.

"He was brilliant in China when he drove flawlessly to victory but awful, just awful in Japan. If the Hamilton of China turns up in Brazil, he will be world champion.

"I don't think he needs to go for broke but that is what he is inclined to do.

"He needs to be careful. He knows that right now the world is against him – the other drivers are against him and the stewards are against him. Yet I think what happened to him after his win at Spa was ghastly and his penalty in the Japanese Grand Prix was harsh too. That's what he has to contend with."

Hamilton also needs better support from his McLaren teammate Heikki Kovalainen, according to Jordan.

"I do believe Ron Dennis and his McLaren team need to get more out of Heikki Kovalainen because his input to the cause has been minimal," Jordan said.

"They have to aim to get Kovalainen on the first two rows of the grid in Brazil. That would dramatically improve McLaren's chances.

"Kovalainen always seems fuelled-up with a very heavy car and that makes him slow at the start, makes the car more difficult to control and is harder on the tyres. They should look to have him qualify fast and lighter from the start of the race. If he could get into the Ferraris it would really help Lewis."

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Brazil preview quotes: Toyota

Jarno Trulli: "It was very frustrating to be eliminated so early in China so I am determined to hit back in Brazil. This has been one of my best seasons, even if I have had some bad luck as well, so I am looking forward to celebrating the final race with another top-six finish.

"It's disappointing we cannot finish fourth in the Constructors' Championship but it's still possible for me to finish eighth in the Drivers' Championship so I will fight to score as many points as possible to do that.

"I was in the points there last season even though our car was not as competitive as this year's so I am pretty confident. Interlagos is quite a tough circuit because it is anti-clockwise and it puts a lot of strain on your neck, but I am fit and I've never had a problem. It's quite a challenging circuit in general and I enjoy racing there."

Timo Glock: "This has been a very positive first season with Toyota and I want to end it with a strong result in the Brazilian Grand Prix. I feel I have made great progress this year and I've had a lot of fun as well; Toyota is a great team and everyone has been very supportive.

"It is a long season but I still have plenty of energy and I'm really motivated for this race. I have raced in Formula One at Interlagos before, in 2004, and my strongest impression was that it was a very bumpy track which was quite hard work for a driver.

"Our car wasn't perfect over the bumps in Singapore so I am pleased to hear they have fixed them in Brazil because that will help us. If you look at our pace over the past few races we can be confident of another competitive weekend and I will certainly be looking to add to my points total.

"At the moment I am 10th in the World Championship and if I can score more points and keep that position, that would be a good achievement in my first full season."

Pascal Vasselon - Senior General Manager Chassis: "From our side we always perform well at Interlagos, so we go to the Brazilian Grand Prix with high expectations and we are really looking forward to this race. Our car has been competitive at almost every circuit and we expect to be strong again at Interlagos. What is really crucial at Interlagos is tyres.

"Last year Bridgestone had been aggressive in bringing the soft and super soft tyres, which meant blistering was a big issue. But this time we have soft and medium compounds which should be much better suited. That doesn't mean to say the tyres aren't challenging because it will not be straightforward and there will be some hard work to do. Aside from that, Interlagos is very light on brakes and it is medium-low downforce."

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McLaren to run new rear wing in Brazil

McLaren are to introduce a new rear wing and a raft of other aerodynamic tweaks for the Brazilian Grand Prix as part of their bid to win the championship, autosport.com can reveal.

Although the Woking-based outfit can afford to take a conservative approach to the season finale in Interlagos, with Lewis Hamilton only needing fifth place to guarantee himself the crown, the team have not eased off in their efforts to eek out more performance from their MP4-23.

It is understood that that work has resulted in the team feeling positive enough about a number of changes to the car's aerodynamic package for them to be introduced for the race at Interlagos.

Although the most visible difference will be with the new rear wing, it is believed that there will also be at least six other areas on the car where the team have targeted a step forward in pace.

McLaren F1 CEO Martin Whitmarsh said in the aftermath of the Chinese Grand Prix that the team had worked hard on the elements that have now been approved for use.

"We have put the effort into primarily an aerodynamic package to enhance the efficiency of the car," he said.

McLaren have made it clear since Shanghai that despite the title situation they are continuing their preparations for Brazil as normally as they could.

Team boss Ron Dennis said: "It's clearly not done, but most likely it's only unreliability that's going to cause us a problem. So we're going to be cautious about tyres, rain, and all sorts of things.

"But there's nothing to be achieved before Friday in planning for the what ifs. All the work we normally do will be done and we will arrive on Friday morning ready to go and we'll adapt to whatever gets thrown at us."

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Brazil preview quotes: McLaren

Lewis Hamilton:

How are you approaching this final, crucial weekend of the year?

"Fundamentally the same way I've approached the previous races. Obviously, my aim for Brazil is slightly different from the other grands prix: I don't need to win the race, but that won't stop me from going into the weekend looking to be as strong as possible. Shanghai was a good example of that: we hit the ground running on Friday morning and never looked back. Our aim wasn't to push too hard, but we found ourselves in a position at the front and took it comfortably from there. That's what I am hoping to achieve in Brazil - a straightforward weekend that allows me to just focus on my car and my driving."

What do you think of the Interlagos circuit?

"I love the circuit: it's in this incredible natural arena that is just amazing to race on. And it's anti-clockwise too - so it presents an additional challenge to the drivers. The track always seems to provide good, close racing: one of the reasons for that is because there's a long straight leading up to the first corner and you can slipstream other cars and overtake into Turn One. It's also a place where there seems to be a lot of grip so you can dice with other cars and have fun."

What do you remember of last year's nail-biting finale in Brazil?

"I went to Interlagos with the title battle still up in the air and all my emotions just bubbling up and down. It was a very emotional time because I knew it would end with either great success or huge disappointment. In 2007, things didn't end up too well for me - but I still had a great first year. Everybody's always happy to finish the season in Brazil - there's a real party atmosphere in Sao Paulo on the Sunday night and it's a perfect place to end such a great season."

Sao Paulo and Interlagos have long been intertwined with the legacy of Ayrton Senna - how does that make you feel?

"Ayrton has always been my favourite driver. I think he's the best driver there ever was and, still, to this day, I don't believe anyone would beat him. If I could achieve just a small part of what he achieved, it would be a dream for me."

Heikki Kovalainen:

How has your knowledge of the car and the team developed over the 2007 season?

"It didn't take too long to find where I wanted to be with the team, but it's taken longer to get used to the MP4-23. Sometimes I've pushed the set-up in the wrong direction but, over the year, I've found a better direction. I've been particularly pleased with my qualifying pace; even from the first race, I was competitive. Now I'm working hard to improve my knowledge of the tyres and everything is headed in the right direction."

With the 2008 season almost finished, how are you approaching the winter?

"It's been a good season overall. I've done a lot of learning throughout the year and I already feel much better prepared for next year. I now understand how to make the car fast and what I need to do to get the most out of it. I thought this year would be more difficult, but I feel I've done a good job."

What are your aims for the last race of the year?

"To win it, obviously! With the championship as it is, things are a little different going to Brazil. Clearly, I want to be able to help the team and Lewis wherever necessary - but the easiest way to do that is to be running at the front. The team knows I will play my part, but we are also targeting the constructors' championship. We may be 11 points behind Ferrari, but there are 18 points available in Brazil and we go into the final race still looking at securing both world titles - that has to be our aim."

Martin Whitmarsh, CEO Formula 1, Vodafone McLaren Mercedes:

How do you assess the balance between Vodafone McLaren Mercedes and Ferrari going into the last round of the 2008 world championship?

"While Ferrari was able to out-perform us at last year's Brazilian Grand Prix, we feel relatively confident that the situation will be different this year for several reasons. Firstly, looking at the trends of the season, the characteristics of our car should be better suited to Interlagos than they were in 2007. Also, the weather was exceptionally warm last year - something that tends to favour Ferrari - and the chances are that it won't be quite so hot next week. These elements should create a very tight competition, which is good for everybody."

Are there any other unusual variables to take into consideration at Interlagos?

"The track is fairly bumpy, so there's a greater premium placed on finding a good, driveable balance. The track itself is situated at fairly high altitude, which has a knock-on effect on engine horsepower and downforce, both of which are a little lower than at a regular circuit. For this race, we'll also be looking at the possibility of running Lewis's engine in a safer setting so it has a bit more margin than normal. It's something we do throughout the season but, clearly, there's a greater need to be safe this weekend."

What sort of additional pressure is placed on the race team for such a high-stakes race?

"While we try and eliminate as many difficulties for the race team as is possible, there is no escaping the fact that a title-deciding race is clearly very stressful. You're somewhat torn because the need to score four points is considerably easier than winning - but that sort of attitude is anathema to the team. The reality is that Shanghai was rather more stressful because we only had a five-point cushion over Felipe and that could have been seriously dented. Given our performance so far this year, you'd assume that Lewis would be able to score the necessary points - but that could be affected by a sudden Safety Car period or a mechanical problem. Both drivers just need to drive clean races; but reliability is the biggest stress-builder for the guys in the garage, and it is a constant worry."

Norbert Haug, vice-president, Mercedes-Benz Motorsport

The situation for Lewis prior to the final race is the same as last year: he will arrive in Sao Paulo with a seven-point advantage. Don't you worry that it will again not work out with the championship?

"The title win is everything but a formality. For Lewis's title contender Felipe Massa there are in Brazil only a few drivers in the field who, according to the current balance of power, are able to challenge him for the race win; Lewis and Heikki are two of them. Of course, there are races with surprising conditions or Safety Car periods which can mix up the field, like in Singapore previously, and provide unexpected results. Lewis will be as focused as the team to score the necessary points in Brazil."

Brazil is the home country of Lewis's title rival Felipe Massa. Does this mean a disadvantage for Lewis?

"Of course, the majority of the crowd will support Felipe at his home race in Brazil, this will be the same for him as it was for Lewis in Great Britain. What will count in the end will be speed, reliability, to avoid crashes, and the cleverness of team and drivers. We will focus on our job. We know, of course, that we have to work a lot until Lewis will be able to clinch the title."

What is in favour of Lewis and Vodafone McLaren Mercedes in the finale in Brazil?

"Four months ago, after the races in Canada and Magny-Cours, Lewis was 10 points behind the leader. In the following nine races he scored 17 points more than Felipe Massa. Lewis started from pole position five times and was second on the grid twice, which means that in the previous nine grands prix, he started seven times from the front row. In these races since July, our team won four times, Ferrari and Renault twice each, and Toro Rosso once; in these races we scored 87 points, Ferrari 65, BMW 61 and Renault 60. We now have to continue this trend in the final Grand Prix of the year. A task which we underestimate by no means."

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Honda plan full-scale attack on testing

Honda Racing are to launch a full-scale attack on winter testing as part of their bid to move up the grid in 2009, team principal Ross Brawn has revealed.

The Japanese manufacturer were the first team to divert their efforts away from their 2008 campaign and onto next year's car - with Brawn keen to make the most of the opportunities handed to the team by a raft of regulation changes.

And as well as the early work on the new car, Brawn has said that the team have saved as much testing mileage and as many tyres as they could to ensure they can undertake a full winter schedule of running before Christmas.

"We've kept our testing mileage and our tyres for the winter testing, which is another thing that is reflected (by our performance) this season," explained Brawn.

"I believe we have more tyres left for winter testing than any other team, which is something we consciously did because of our approach.

"We will be doing all three winter tests and there will be KERS work being done, work with the tyres, and work with some of the aerodynamic pieces for next year. We have got a full test over the winter with a whole myriad of parts."

Brawn expects Honda's RA109 to be launched in early January, with a major update to the car scheduled to be introduced in time for the season-opening Australian Grand Prix in late March.

"I think in common with all the teams we will have an early version and a late version," he explained.

"With the first race not being until later in March we will have the launch car, and none of us will want to reveal all of our secrets in January. So there will be the B-version coming out before the season starts."

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Massa feels no pressure ahead of decider

Felipe Massa says he feels the pressure is off him now that Lewis Hamilton has a seven-point lead in the world championship, and plans to focus only on race victory in Brazil next weekend.

Hamilton's domination of the Chinese Grand Prix means that the McLaren driver only needs a fifth place finish at Interlagos to beat Massa to the title, while the Brazilian must finish first or second and hope his rival hits trouble.

Massa said this situation means he can stop worrying about the championship and just go for another home win in the deciding race.

"Yes it's true I have a tougher job than Lewis in terms of the points situation, but my own objective for the weekend is much more straightforward than his," said the Ferrari driver.

"I only have to focus on winning the race on Sunday afternoon, hopefully with my teammate second behind me. The only thing I am thinking about is winning. After that, the matter is not in my hands and we will have to wait and see exactly what and how much we have won.

"For sure, Lewis will try and put pressure on me, but I have zero pressure, because I have nothing to lose.

"I have my people behind me and all the pressure will be on him, especially when you think about what happened at this race last year. I can't wait for the final Sunday of the season."

Ferrari have won at Interlagos for the past two seasons, with Massa taking victory in 2006 and then leading last year until falling behind his title-chasing teammate Kimi Raikkonen at the final stops.

"It is impossible to predict what will happen in the Brazilian Grand Prix, but I think our car has always been very good at this circuit, even if I cannot explain exactly why," said Massa.

"We have always gone well here and I expect that to be the case at the weekend, whatever the conditions, in the dry or in the rain and in qualifying and in the race."

He added that he expected Raikkonen to support his title bid again if required, and said he had no qualms about the use of team orders in China, where his teammate relinquished second place in the closing laps.

"I know there have been comments about my overtaking Kimi in the final stages of the Shanghai race, but they have come from people who don't really understand how the sport works," he said.

"It is a team sport and both me and Kimi know we have to do what is best for the team. For sure, psychologically a racing driver always wants to finish in front, always wants to win: it doesn't matter if you are playing a friend on a computer game or driving a Formula One car.

"But all drivers have a contract with their team and so you are not racing as an individual. When you are fighting for the championship, with only one driver with a mathematical chance of winning, then all the teams in the pit lane would do the same, which is to put that one driver in a position where he has the best chance of winning. That is part of this sport."

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