Toyota aim to be in the F1 points

Toyota's fledgling Formula One team have set their sights on winning a fistful of points in 2003 after taking just two in their…

Toyota's fledgling Formula One team have set their sights on winning a fistful of points in 2003 after taking just two in their debut season.

Team boss Ove Andersson set the target at the launch of the Japanese carmaker's new TF103 challenger at the Le Castellet test circuit in southern France today.

"I would like to see us challenging competitively for points on a regular basis in 2003," said the Swede, who last year said he was aiming for little more than respect and recognition from rival teams.

"It is an ambitious target but we have to aim high this year because we are no longer the new kids on the block.

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"It is what everyone expects from Toyota as the world's third largest car manufacturer and we will do our utmost to achieve this goal."

Andersson said Toyota aimed to qualify at least one of their cars in the top 10 in every race. The ambition should be more achievable this year with a revised points structure to be introduced from the first race in Australia in March that awards points to the top eight finishers rather than just the top six.

Toyota have one of the more powerful engines on the grid and, with only 20 cars lining up this season after the disappearance of Prost and Arrows, they should be in with a chance.

Had the new system been operational last year, they would have scored in seven races rather than just two.