Toyota excluded from Qualifying

By Naomi Willemsen
March 28 2009

The Panasonic Toyota Racing team has been placed to the back of the grid after the Qualifying sesssion of the Australian Grand Prix as they didn't live up to the regulations concerning the rear wing. Both TF109's were using a rear wing which was too flexible according to the FIA following the post-qualifying inspection.

The FIA stated that "The Stewards have received a report from the Technical Delegate that the upper wing elements of cars number 9 and 10 are showing extreme flexibility in contravention of Article 3.15 of the 2009 Formula One Technical Regulations".

 

John Howett accepts the FIA's decision but also wants the opportunity to modify the rear wings again, which asks for an exception as the F1 cars are not allowed to be removed from the Parc Fermé until Sunday morning: "From our point of view it is very simple," Howett commented. "We do, however, need the FIA's agreement to be able to release the cars from Parc Fermé and change them."

"I'm a bit disappointed, but in the end we are at the premier level of world motorsport. Competitors have the right to protest and we expect the regulator to enforce the rules." Howett continues.

Toyota's degradation to the back of the grid means that Timo Glock and Jarno Trulli, who qualified sixth and eighth respectively, will be starting their first Grand Prix of the 2009 season from the nineteenth and twentieth place.