Talking at their official launch, Toyota’s golden boy (along with his teammate Ralf) hoped that their early running would reward the team later on. "Hopefully this will give us an advantage for this year," says Jarno. "We cannot say we will be the best, but for sure we will be very well prepared with the new car in terms of mileage and experience. We've tried to solve all the problems and get ready for the first race. Now we're doing very well, and it feels good, although there's still a lot of work to be done in the run-up to the first race and beyond. I am optimistic and confident."
Jarno walks into 2006 having taken Toyota’s first podium and pole position in 2005, and is keen to take Toyota’s first victory this year. But we shall see in March if that is a realistic possibility.