Jarno Trulli was overjoyed to be back on the podium at Magny-Cours, hailing his result as proof that Toyota are "moving on."
Third-place finish dedicated to Andersson
Jarno Trulli was overjoyed to be back on the podium at Magny-Cours, hailing his result as proof that Toyota are "moving on."
The Italian finished the French Grand Prix in third place after putting up a brave fight to hold off McLaren's Heikki Kovalainen when a rain shower briefly hit during the latter stages of race.
It was his first podium visit since the 2005 Spanish Grand Prix and Trulli hopes the result is just the start of Toyota's move up the grid.
"What a great result and a great weekend by the whole team," he said.
"Today was a great race, hard and tough. We had a good pace, even if we had to battle with some cars that were quicker than us.
"I had to fight really hard but that is what people should expect both from myself and from Toyota.
"When the rain came at the end I had to take care because it's always difficult to judge how bad it is when you're in front.
"But I got back into a rhythm and had a wheel-to-wheel fight with Heikki, just like in go-karts.
"The team made no mistakes this weekend, from the people in the factory who made the new parts on the car to the mechanics who did perfect pit stops today.
"There's still more to do but today we can be very satisfied. The team is doing a great job, the car is much more competitive and everyone is motivated.
"Things are moving on."
Toyota Motorsport President John Howett was full of praise for his team, dedicating the win to former team boss Ove Andersson who died last week.
"This is a fantastic day for everyone involved with Toyota Motorsport," he said.
"It was our first podium for a long time so we dedicate it to Ove Andersson, who did so much for the team and will be greatly missed.
"Congratulations to everyone involved both at the factory and in the race and test teams who have worked hard to improve the car."
