The continuation of my Constructors rankings, this time the top five.
Note: To see the first part of this article click here
5. Toyota: Toyota used to be a bit of a joke until 2005. This turn in reputation can be attributed to Mike Gascoigne who helped push the team up the grid. But when he left they promptly went back to the doldrums of the midfield.
But this year Toyota finally seemed to get it right. The team radically built a whole new chassis moving way from their usual conservative approach and it seemed to prove dividends. The car was instantly quick in Australia with Trulli qualifying sixth. He then beat that qualifying third in Malaysia and finishing a remarkable fourth in the race. Throughout the year Jarno was the only midfield driver to consistently challenge for points.
Glock found it harder not scoring until Canada. But once he started to put the car in the top eight he couldn’t stop culminating in that excellent drive in Hungary. Toyota was consistently strong throughout the season and was unlucky not to finish fourth in the Constructors championship thanks to Renault who came on so strong at the end of the season.
Best Moment: A number here but Hungary and Brazil when the car was undoubtedly a car to match the top teams.
Worst Moment: Toyota did have one weak race—Turkey where they were beaten by Williams, Renault and Red Bull.
What to watch out for in 2009: Glock coming through the ranks.
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