Jarno Trulli has vowed to be a championship challenger in 2007 as he insisted that he is still as good as his former Renault teammate, Fernando Alonso.
In an interview with newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport, the Italian said Toyota is on the verge of joining formula one’s regular winners.
”This year we have not been able to win,” said the 32-year-old, ”but the only thing missing for Toyota is experience.
”In 2007 we will be really competitive. My final objective for my career is to win the title.
”I know I can do it.”
Trulli reminded readers that, in 2004, most observers agreed at mid-season that Trulli had the measure of teammate Alonso, who a year later was world champion.
”I had more points (in mid-2004), I had won in Monte Carlo and I was nearly always in front in the tests. You can’t ignore these facts.”
Trulli added that he would like to return to the podium ‘at Monza’ next week, ‘or at least before the end of the season’.
He did not, however, want to weigh into the current championship tussle between Alonso and Ferrari’s Michael Schumacher.
”The gap between them is 12 points,” Trulli acknowledged, ”but there are still 40 points to be won or lost.
”A lot depends on them not making mistakes and also on the competitiveness of their tyres and machines.”
GMMF1
DailyF1News.com