The TF105 was the most successful Toyota Formula 1 car. Panasonic Toyota Racing achieved 3 podiums in 2005 season (1 by Jarno Trulli and 2 by Ralf Schumacher) and was placed in the Constructor’s standings as high as 4th – the best performance for the 9-year history of Toyota in F1 (2002-2009). The car designed by Mike Gascoyne and Gustav Brunner proved to be very reliable (only 4 retirements in 36 starts) and fast enough to fight for good points. Newcomer to the team Ralf Schumacher, recruited from Williams, was 6th in the Drivers’ Championship with 45 points, and Trulli was only 1 position and 2 points behind.
Brazilian driver Ricardo Zonta drove as a test driver in the free practice sessions, and was nominated as race driver only for USA GP replacing Ralf Schumacher, but Toyota as other teams supplied with Michelin tyres elected to withdraw from the United States Grand Prix before the race started due to safety concerns.
| Season | Series | Event |
| 2005 | F1WC | Free Practice |
| Driver | No. | Entrant |
| Ricardo Zonta | 38 | Panasonic Toyota Racing |
| Scale | Manufacturer | Collection |
| 1:43 | Minichamps | |
| Cat. No. | Quality | Rarity |
| 400050038 | 
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1296 pcs. Limited Edition
formula143 
Zonta is from Curitiba, PR, which is also my hometown in Brazil. I know little about his time in Formula One. Nowadays he competes in the Brazilian Stock Car series.
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Rubens, thanks for your comment. There is an excellent model collection about Brazilian Stock Car series, but, as far as i know, Zonta is not presented in this collectoin.
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It’s so sad that he missed the opportunity to drive the Toyota in the infamous 2005 US Grand Prix.
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