2009 Abu Dhabi GP, race: Toyota quotes
Tadashi Yamashina: “It was a great result for us to have both drivers in the points in the last race of 2009. Kamui did a fantastic job and we are very proud of him but Jarno also fought hard to get a strong result. This year the team, including everyone back in the factory in Cologne, has done a brilliant job. It’s been a tough season but we have ended it in a positive way, so thanks to everyone in the team, as well as our sponsors and fans. I would like to offer my congratulations to the race organisers, who have done a fantastic job to create this incredible venue and also to the new World Champions, Brawn GP and Jenson Button, who achieved so much this season.”
Kamui Kobayashi: “It was a really good race for me. At the start I overtook (Kimi) Raikkonen and that was important in the end because it would have been difficult to finish in the top six if I had been behind him during the first stint. When I got past I was confident I had the race pace to fight for the points and my target was to be consistently fast. The team did a great job with the strategy and the pit stop which played a big part in helping me finish in the points. I certainly wasn’t expecting to be racing in Formula 1 this season and I want to say thank you to Toyota for this opportunity. My target was to finish in the points today but I am a bit surprised to be in the top six. This is a fantastic result and I am extremely happy.”
Jarno Trulli: “It was not an easy race for me. I made a good start and was fighting with the BMWs on the first laps, which was good fun, but I was struggling a little with traction. During the stint the rear tyres were degrading and then later braking consistency became an issue. I was pushing as hard as possible and putting in some good laps to fight for the top six. In the end I was seventh, which is not bad, and for the team the result is pretty good. Obviously Kamui drove really well and I am very pleased for him; he deserved this result.”
source: Toyota