Timo Glock on Sunday finally signed a three-year contract to race for Toyota starting in 2008.
The reportedly (US) $1.9m per season deal was signed jointly by the 25-year-old newly crowned GP2 champion and boss Tadashi Yamashina at the tetam’s Cologne factory, the German newspaper Bild am Sonntag said.
“I am grateful to BMW for letting me go,” said Glock, referring to the fact that the German marque previously had some kind of contractual hold on him for 2008.
A dispute between Toyota and BMW was last week settled in Glock’s favour by the Contract Recognition Board.
Glock said he didn’t know why countryman Ralf Schumacher’s own three-year tenure at Toyota did not succeed.
“I can only speak for myself,” he said, “and I will work day and night to make it work. If need be I will sleep in the garage at night!”
Glock said he hopes to make his test debut for Toyota at Jerez early next month.
He explained: “BMW have to approve it because until the end of the year I am under contract with them. I hope they let me do it.”
Several drivers are rumoured to be in the running to replace Glock as BMW-Sauber’s third driver in 2008.
The Hinwil based team is expected to make its decision in December, after up to three of the candidates – possibly the Estonian Marko Asmer, Willi Weber protege Nico Hulkenberg and Robert Doornbos – test at Jerez.
