Are Toyota's drivers underperforming?

[ioan]

I don't think the car is crap, it is just inconsistent. IMO the drivers are doing a solid job but perhaps they need a change, five years with Trulli is maybe a bit too much. Maybe some other driver could rejuvenate them.

I agree.
Criticizing Toyota after they did stick all these years with a stone like Trulli is a bit rich from some fans.

[Garry Walker]

I agree.
Criticizing Toyota after they did stick all these years with a stone like Trulli is a bit rich from some fans.

A stone like Trulli? It is not like they had a choice of anyone better.
Kimi or Alonso would never have joined them.

[Bezza]

Howett is an idiot ! Toyota should criticise themself for costantly building a crap car and making so many wrong-strategy and mistakes

Well, I think Trulli and Glock have been inconsistent at best. Personally, I like Glock - he is still young, and definitely fast. Out of the two drivers he is the better racer.

Trulli on the other hand is just frustrating. He can be really quick, but you have to say he is just not good enough for a top line F1 team. He can't carry speed through a race and doesn't have the balls to go for a win. Age is not on his side either, and I believe that with a better lead driver, Toyota would have won a race or two this season.

[Sonic]

Trulli on the other hand is just frustrating. He can be really quick, but you have to say he is just not good enough for a top line F1 team. He can't carry speed through a race and doesn't have the balls to go for a win. Age is not on his side either, and I believe that with a better lead driver, Toyota would have won a race or two this season.

Which GP's?

Bahrain clearly was a golden opportunity lost - but how a "better lead driver" would have handled the crud strategy the Toyota's were lumbered with I don't know. The car hasn't been good enough since then, Glocks podium would have been 3rd place but for Vettel's penalty, and even Senna himself would have struggled to chase down a flying Red Bull at Suzuka.

I don't doubt a Kimi, Fred etc would have scored more points this year but a win? The car ain't there yet.

[ioan]

... but how a "better lead driver" would have handled the crud strategy the Toyota's were lumbered with I don't know.

You have to keep in mind that a strategy is the result of a thorough calculation where the main input is the drivers speed.
To make a strategy work you need a fast and consistent driver, something none of the Toyota drivers looked capable to pull off.

[jens]

Age is not on his side either, and I believe that with a better lead driver, Toyota would have won a race or two this season.

I would also like to know, which race(s) are you keeping in mind more precisely. I can't remember any race throughout Toyota's F1 history that they should have won, but the victory wasn't reached by the incompetence of a driver.

One could make a fair point about the inconsistency and that with "top drivers" Toyota could have collected a bit more points, but that wouldn't change a general picture. And maybe Toyota would need to look into the mirror to find out, why does nobody (like currently Kimi & Kubica) want to join them. And how to make the team attractive for them.

[jens]

You have to keep in mind that a strategy is the result of a thorough calculation where the main input is the drivers speed.
To make a strategy work you need a fast and consistent driver, something none of the Toyota drivers looked capable to pull off.

Bahrain is one of Trulli's strongest circuits and I think he drove a brilliant race there. Harder tyres were regarded approximately 1 sec per lap slower than the softs at Sakhir, but Trulli was lapping less than a second a lap slower than Button on the second stint. So basically he had winning pace, but given the circumstances it was impossible to do anything more.

[ClarkFan]

Howett is an idiot ! Toyota should criticise themself for costantly building a crap car and making so many wrong-strategy and mistakes

A fish rots from the head. Until Toyota installs quality leadership at the top of the team, they will fail. Any other move - drivers, technical staff, women serving at the plant - will not make a strong team without someone at the top to organize the effort.

That is what Brawn brought to a floundering Honda team. Toyota needs to hire someone of that caliber, or any other money they spend will simply be wasted (again).

ClarkFan

[andrew.]

They need to boot Trulli and sign Bruno Spengler mokin:.

[Saint Devote]

Until they transfer the power of decision from Tokyo to a single manager with absolute power to conduct the team - as Honda did with Dave Richards - they will fail.

Collectivism fails while individualism works - it is that straightforward, but also the Western approach. So.....

And installing Kubayashi one of the slowest and incompetent GP2 drivers as a replacement for Glock at Interlagos is not a good idea but a very Toyota one.