Toyota enters its 8th season in F1 in 2009, hoping to turn its fortunes around. The team had set its goal long ago to become a front-running team in F1. However, despite it having one of the biggest budgets in F1, its best performance was during 2006 when it scored a third place at the Austrian GP. This lack of performance meant that the parent company seriously considered axing the team this year, due to the international financial crisis. However, it was decided that the team will not be abandoned, and will race during 2009.

Toyota was one of the first teams to unveil its 2009 challenger. Just like all teams, Toyota had hoped that due to the regulations shake-up it would be able to gain an advantage over the front-runners. Pre-season testing has put the TF109 solidly in the upper mid-field. It must be noted that during one of the earlier winter tests Timo Glock was able to put the Toyota at the top of the time sheets, albeit in wet conditions. Jarno Trulli is insistent that this is the best Toyota to date, so the car is a good base to develop a faster car from. Toyota will not be running KERS in Australia, due to technical problems with their system.

Drivers for 2009 will be the same as in 2008 – Jarno Trulli and Timo Glock. Both drivers have shown a lot of talent. Trulli is known as one-lap qualifying specialist, and Glock has shown great promise racing in lesser formulas. However, neither driver has been able to put an entire race weekend together up to this point.

Toyota has once again promised it will be fighting for its first win in 2009. However, it is doubtful that it will achieve this without the front-runners falling out of running due to weather or accidents.