NOVEMBER 10, 2006

Toyota pushes Japanese talent

Toyota has announced that Kohei Hirate and Kamui Kobayashi will be involved in testing with the Panasonic Toyota Racing F1 team in the year ahead. Both men showed well in the Formula 3 Eurocup this year and while Hirate is to progress next year with GP2 with Trident Motorsports, Koabayashi will stay on for a second F3 season with the championship-winning ASM team.

Their fellow Toyota Young Drivers Programme member Kazuki Nakajima will test with Williams-Toyota and will race in GP2 with the DAMS team.

Toyota runs the programme to identify and cultivate new talent. It was established in 2000 but has yet to produce any full-time F1 drivers.