Mar.26 (GMM) Jarno Trulli is confident that Toyota can remain F1's fourth strongest team as the circus moves on to Bahrain.



The Italian finished fourth in Malaysia; behind Kimi Raikkonen's Ferrari, the BMW of Robert Kubica, and final podium-getter Heikki Kovalainen, who drives for McLaren.



Although ahead of Lewis Hamilton at Sepang, 33-year-old Trulli thinks his TF108 single seater is still not quite on the pace of the leading teams.



"The McLarens and Ferraris are obviously ahead of us, and we are maybe two or three tenths behind BMW, but we can fight the rest," he said.



Trulli hopes that, because only Toyota and Ferrari tested at the Sakhir track in the winter pre-season, he will also be in a strong position in Bahrain next weekend.



"We know what to expect there with our car. I think we can fight for the top six again," he added.



Trulli also commiserated with his new teammate, Timo Glock, who because of a cancelled flight endured a 40 hour journey from Australia to Kuala-Lumpur recently -- on his twenty sixth birthday.



"I felt sorry for Timo," Trulli, who reached Malaysia via Brisbane, said.