Toyota protested Toro Rosso’s Sebastian Vettel during the Singapore Grand Prix, claiming he was released from the pits in front of Timo Glock an unsafe manner.
The stewards rejected the claim and the final running order stands.
But what’s particularly interesting is Toyota wouldn’t have gained any more points even if Vettel had been penalised. Vettel was fifth behind Timo Glock at the flag, and Jarno Trulli didn’t finish.
Toyota has fallen to fifth in the constructors’ championship behind Renault falling Fernando Alonso’s victory (it’s possible we may have cursed the Japanese team).
Toro Rosso are sixth, 15 points behind Toyota, and it demonstrates their anxiety about falling further behind in the constructors’ championship.
Perhaps the team have some internal target linked to their finishing position in the constructors’ championship?
Anon
28th September 2008, 20:53
Oh noes FIA likes ferrari.
MacademiaNut
29th September 2008, 6:01
“it’s possible we may have cursed the Japanese team”
and you don’t believe in Karma? :)
Mahesh
29th September 2008, 15:16
@ MacademiaNut – Good catch :D
amy
2nd October 2008, 22:29
Maybe they were just in a spiteful mood and thought they should try and get him penalised in case he does well in the final races.
the limit
6th October 2008, 4:32
Maybe its a case of Toyota wanting to sugar the pill of disappointment going into the Japanese Grands Prix, or maybe because they were outperformed by their customer team, Williams Toyota?
With such a huge budget, and still without a win in six years of Formula One competition, maybe the axe is about to fall on a few heads?
Jean
6th October 2008, 9:35
If anyone has the data to calculate a ratio of points gained so far this season expressed over team budget , apart from teams that have not scored , I think Toyota would be bottom , maybe that’s why they protested.