BY Andrew Benson Motorsport editor

Toyota showed flashes of promise in 2003 but finished eighth overall

Gascoyne, who joins the team from Renault on 1 December, said the top four teams were out of reach next year.

But he said: "Toyota are very committed to winning the world title and have taken a very measured approach. We would have to aim at being fifth."

Gascoyne said his priority would be to rebuild before focusing on results.

"It's not about results in the first year, it's about the set-up of the team and then the results come afterwards," Toyota's new technical director told this website.

The team finished eighth in 2003 after failing to capitalise on occasional moments of promise.

Whatever Toyota go into in motorsport, they don't stop until they have won it Mike Gascoyne Toyota technical director Team profile: Toyota

"I do think it is realistic to aim to be fifth. Whether it's achievable, I'm not in a position to judge," Gascoyne added.

"The drivers are good enough - Olivier Panis is quick and very experienced and Cristiano da Matta showed some fantastic flashes last season.

"The engine looks to be very good. Chassis-wise, it can be much better aerodynamically, and the car suffered during braking and on corner entry.

"And in terms of the team's general set-up, they were weak. When they were racing for fifth place at Indy, for example, they threw it away.

"I feel it's a fairly similar situation to Renault [when he went there in 2000]. There are good people and a lot of resources.

"Toyota undoubtedly have less experience but they have greater resources and greater commitment. They are behind in some areas and ahead in others.

"Certainly they are incredibly determined to do it. The line I received is whatever they go into in motorsport, they don't stop until they have won it."

Gascoyne took a similar approach when he joined Renault in 2000, and it led to criticism when the team were uncompetitive in 2001.

But Renault have become a major force since then, with Fernando Alonso winning in Hungary during a strong 2003 season.

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Gascoyne was poached by Toyota after he turned both Jordan and then Renault from also-rans into race-winners.

But he says his next challenge is to turn Toyota into championship contenders.

It should be possible to become winners relatively quickly Mike Gascoyne

"Having changed teams twice and made them into winners, I'm very confident in my ability to do that - especially with the resources that Toyota have," he said.

"I've been criticised for not going on to win the world championship. Well, I've never failed to do that, I've just moved on because another team wanted me.

"With Jordan, there wasn't the possibility [to go on and win the championship]. I made the decision between Renault and Toyota and for me the thing is to be world champions.

"To turn the team around, that is not a challenge, I can do that. The challenge is to make them world champions.

"I think it should be possible to become winners relatively quickly because Toyota do have elements in place that the other [two] teams didn't have. I want to do that very quickly so we can go on and challenge for the championship.

"We have to be winning races in two years' time - by 2005 - and challenge for the championship the year after."