rpm.espn.com: Mika Salo

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Tuesday, January 22

Mika Salo
ESPN.com

Team: Toyota
Nationality: Finland

Mika Salo
Salo

STATS

Year
Rank
Wins
Poles
Podium
Best finish

2001 NA 0 0 0 NA

Career 0 0 2 2nd, Hockenheim (1999)

2001 Recap
The Good: Salo, who began his Formula One career in 1994 with Lotus, spent last season testing for Toyota, which is set to make its F1 debut in 2002. Salo had finished 11th with Sauber, with six points, in 1999 before being left out in the cold for the 2001 season.

Salo enters the season as the Japanese automaker's top driver, teamed with Scot Allan McNish.

Season Highlight: Salo didn't compete in any events in 2001, so highlights were found during testing. However, Toyota's first piece wasn't very impressive last season.

The Bad: Salo's testing in 2001 was fairly uneventful. The results were not especially promising, either. Both the driver and the team hope the data derived from the season of practice will help this year's model excel on the track.

Season Lowlight: Salo escaped injury during a bad crash during a test run in France in March. Salo was testing at the company's "home" Paul Ricard circuit near Marseille when he hit a wall after braking at the end of a straightaway.

Mika Salo
Mika Salo hopes Toyota's new F1 car is more consistent than the model he tested in 2001.

Key Stat: Salo is still hurt by the memory of finishing second at Hockenheim in 1999. The Finn held a comfortable lead, but was told to move over and allow Ferrari teammate Eddie Irvine to win the German Grand Prix. The runner-up finish is still the best of Salo's career.

2002 Outlook
What needs to be done: Toyota needs to provide the steady Salo with a strong car. The veteran is no stranger to the circuit, and with a year of testing under his belt, he is clearly the team's best hope for strong finishes.

Prediction: Salo yearns to win a race before ending his career, but time is against him and Toyota is unlikely to give him much of a chance next season. Despite the big dollars Toyota is throwing at its F1 program, Salo will most likely battle the backmarkers in 2002.

With Toyota's seemingly endless resources, however, Salo may be able to enjoy some success in the future.

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