Toyota fuel problem identified ! Resolution soon !

3rd fastest !
By Huw Alban (27/03/03)
March 27 2003

Cristiano da Matta was in good form after his final day of testing for Toyota at Barcelona. The Brazilian seemed confident that the problem that has retired the TF103 from the first 2 Grand Prix had been identified. Olivier Panis replaced Cristiano in Spain today.

"We were able to go through most of our list without any particular problem, and I am reasonably happy with the work we have done in two days," da Matta said after yesterdays session. "Most of all, we have gathered a lot of information on our fuel pressure system and it seems we have now analysed exactly what the problem is. There will be some further work here at the track and at the factory this week of course, but we are very confident to come up with a solution pretty quickly."

These last two sentences make for very pleasant reading for the Toyota fans out there, and gives this site hope of the teams first points finish at the Brazilian Grand Prix.

Olivier Panis undertook test duties for Toyota today, but at the time of writing no detail has been released apart from the lap times chart shown below. More when we get it.

Today's Times

Driver Team Tyre Laps Time

R Schumacher WilliamsF1 M 59 laps 1:15.352
Coulthard McLaren M 65 1:16.077
Panis Toyota M 102 1:17.173
Barrichello Ferrari B 85 1:17.335
M Schumacher Ferrari B 98 1:17.794
Raikkonen McLaren M 99 1:18.164
Button BAR B 51 1:18.269
Gene WilliamsF1 M 84 1:18.619
Frentzen Sauber B 111 1:18.757
Villeneuve BAR B 31 1:19.244

Olivier continues and concludes his test tomorrow.