Jarno Trulli

Pre-F1 career
1997: Jarno Berens beats Jarno Trulli for the Dutch karting title.
1996: 1st German Formula 3 (KMS Dallara-Opel)
1995: 4th in German Formula 3 (KMS Dallara-Opel), 1st in Italian Go-kart class 100 FA, 1st in World Go-kart class 125FC, Senna Memorial World Cup winner
1994: Senna Memorial World Cup winner, 1st in North American class 100SA, 1st in European class 100SA
1993: 2nd in World Go-kart Champion class 100 SA, 1st in Grand Prix of Japan Class 100 FSA
1992: 2nd in World Go-kart class 125 FC
1991: 1st in World Go-kart class 100 FK
1990: 1st in Grand Prix of Hong Kong Class 100 FA
1988-90: Three times 1st in Italian National 100 Class
1983-95: Karting

Jarno Trulli has been a Panasonic Toyota Racing driver since October 2004, bringing not only speed and race craft, but also the benefit of his vast experience of Formula 1, and life itself. Motorsport is his passion, but that only tells half of the Jarno Trulli story. As well as racing, he produces his own wine, now a flourishing international business, while also building his own karts and – not to forget – enjoying a happy family life with wife Barbara and their two sons, Enzo and Marco.
He says: “I think I just see life in a different way. We all have different personalities and now I have a family I understand a bit more about certain things.”

Family is important for Jarno, so it was natural that when he looked for an opportunity away from motorsport, he chose to produce wine, a family tradition from his grandfather’s time. And success comes naturally to the quiet Italian so, after buying the vineyard in the Podere Castorani region in 2000, he has rapidly expanded from around 18,000 bottles a year, to an impressive 600,000 now.
“The year 2000 vintage was our first season and it was a really good season,” Jarno says. “It was strange for me to drink a bottle of my own wine but I was happy because it was produced from my land and my passion.
“It is a really good feeling, especially when people appreciate my wine. It is great because when I travel around the world to Australia or to Canada and many other places I find my wine!”

Jarno, who has scored three podiums and one pole position for the team, has made 181 Grands Prix starts since his debut as a 22-yearold, following an impressive career in junior racing, including the 1995
world kart championship and the German Formula 3 title a year later. In that first season, he started with Minardi but caught the eye of former world champion Alain Prost, who signed him as a temporary replacement for the injured Olivier Panis. That proved a good decision and Jarno scored a fine fourth place at the Nürburgring before sensationally leading in Austria.
After such impressive performances, Prost signed Jarno permanently for 1998 and 1999. Times were not always easy at his new team, but in the torrential rain at the Nürburgring, his hard work paid off with
second place.

Jordan was Jarno’s home for the next two seasons and he continued to catch the eye, his reputation as one of the fastest drivers over 32 one lap blossoming thanks to front row starts at Monaco and Spa-Francorchamps – both famed as the ultimate test for drivers - in 2000 and four more in 2001.
Bad luck kept him from the podium, with fourth his best result at Jordan before a change of scenery for 2002 with a move to Renault. He outshone his team-mate but fourth was again his best result. Matters improved in 2003 and Jarno was third in Hockenheim, twice starting from the front row.
The 2004 season saw the greatest day so far in Jarno’s career, when he won from pole position at Monaco. But, despite another pole at Spa, he left Renault before the season’s end, joining Toyota for the last
two races.

After achieving a personal milestone with his Monaco win, in 2005 he delivered more for his new team, taking Toyota’s first Formula 1 podiums with second places in Malaysia and Bahrain, and third in Spain, as well as the team’s maiden pole position, at Indianapolis. Seventh place in the World Championship was his reward while Toyota’s best season yet saw the team finish fourth in the Constructors’ Championship.
Points were harder to come by in 2006, but a battling fourth place at Indianapolis delivered some return on his usual impressive qualifying pace, which included third on the grid at the final race in Brazil. Jarno showed his speed again in 2007 by qualifying in the top 10 on 14 occasions, with a best result of sixth.

Q+A with Jarno Trulli January 2008

What is your reaction to the 2007 season?
Let’s put it this way, we could have done better. We all could have done better and we all want to do better. We did not get the results we were expecting so we were not happy at all with our season. But we will have a positive reaction and push hard to make improvements for 2008.

What are your hopes for 2008?
My hopes are always high because normally I am very positive. I think that the team has got the potential, the resources, the people and everything necessary to bounce back to the position where we belong. I believe we can produce a good car for next season. This is my hope. It goes without saying that from a personal point of view I expect to score more points and challenge further up the grid than was possible last year.

Is it realistic for Toyota to aim for the podium in 2008?
Finishing on the podium is always possible and realistic. Obviously we have to be careful and not be unrealistic – Formula 1 is a very hard sport so we cannot expect to suddenly be right at the top. We have
to be modest and say that we have some work to do to catch up with the very top teams but I think we can bounce back and score points regularly if we do a good job over the winter time. This means we can
expect to fight for podiums sometimes.

Do you believe Toyota has the potential to succeed?
I am sure of that. It is a very dedicated team with some very good people and we have a lot of potential. We know we still have a lot of work to do to achieve our aims but there is certainly the potential within this team to be successful in Formula 1. I am optimistic for the future.

What lessons did the team learn in 2007?
You are always learning in life and in Formula 1. Last season was 28 difficult for us but we understand there are areas we must improve. Sometimes last season our pace was quite good but we were unable to
get the results we were capable of so this is a major factor to improve. There were many small things which cost us positions, for example the problems I had a few times at the start of a race. But when you
learn something, you can only improve afterwards so I hope we can avoid similar problems next year.

What is your initial opinion on the TF108?
It looks very promising but it is impossible to make a prediction before I drive it for the first time. I am an optimistic person so I have high hopes but we just have to wait and see how it performs on the track.
One thing is for sure, it looks very different to the TF107.

What input have you had in the development of the TF108?
I have been giving input into this car since the middle of the 2007 season, helping to develop it to adapt to the new rules which ban traction control and engine braking. I talk a lot with the engineers and if I think something needs improving, I will tell them. There is quite a big change in terms of electronics this year and I have spent time working with the team on this. I am doing all I can to help the team to step up.

What is your opinion about the ban on driver aids?
I am definitely looking forward to racing without driver aids like traction control. Personally, I am really excited and I believe this move will suit me because it gives the car back to the driver and he has to give more input to get the best out of it. We tested without traction control at the end of last year and I must say I really enjoyed driving the car, it was a lot more fun!

This is your fourth full season with the team, does that stability give you an advantage?
I think stability is an advantage. I really enjoy working with the team and I am comfortable here. I know the engineers and the way the team works so I think that kind of stability has to be an advantage.  We work strongly as a team and we are pulling together to help move forward after the problems we had in 2007. Obviously it was a difficult season in terms of results and performance but we are all committed
to making a significant improvement. I know the team very well and they know me very well – we understand each other’s potential and I am sure sticking together will be an advantage in the future.

Are you still as motivated as ever?
I am probably more motivated than ever to have a good season. Only a few years ago, in 2004, I won my first Grand Prix and had my first pole positions and then when I joined Toyota in 2005, straight away I was on the podium and fighting at the front. It is frustrating that we have not been in a position to do that in the last two seasons. I really want to get back to where I was in my first season with Toyota and move on from there. This team has more potential than the results we had in 2007, I honestly believe we belong much higher up and I am fired up to help the team improve.