Toyota confirm Trulli deal

Toyota today confirmed that Jarno Trulli will partner Ralf Schumacher next season.

Trulli, winner of this season’s Monaco Grand Prix, has long been expected to join Toyota but news of his signing a two-year contract was prompted by his sacking from Renault.

The Italian has been off form since it became clear he would be released at the end of the season and recently came in for heavy criticism from boss Flavio Briatore, prompting his dismissal.

This morning Toyota confirmed that Trulli will drive for them from 2005 onwards as they look to make progress up the Formula One grid.

Since their arrival in 2002, the Japanese manufacturer have failed to live up to their huge budget, reputed to be second only to Ferrari.

Schumacher was signed back in July as the first piece of an expensive new driver line-up, which has already seen Cristiano da Matta sacked and Olivier Panis retire from grand prix racing.

Toyota team principal Tsutomu Tomita said: “It is no secret that we have been speaking with Jarno Trulli for some time about the possibility for him to join Panasonic Toyota Racing, but contrary to recent reports, we have only finalised contractual details this week.

“Jarno has really shown his maturity and all-round talent this season, both in qualifying and in races, and we believe that he will be the perfect team-mate to Ralf at Toyota from next season.

“On that note, I would like to set the record straight early and stress that there are no driver orders at Toyota; Ralf and Jarno will have equal number one status with us.”