Toyota [ Images ] Formula One boss Tsutomu Tomita will stand down at the end of June and be replaced by Tadashi Yamashina, the team said on Thursday.

Yamashina has been Toyota Motorsport vice-chairman since December last year.

Toyota said in a statement that Tomita, 63, would be re-assigned to a new role in Japan [ Images ] within the car manufacturer's group of companies.

"I am looking forward to celebrating Toyota's first victory in Formula One, which I believe will happen sooner rather than later," said Tomita, who publicly apologised earlier this year for the Cologne-based team's failure to win in 2006.

Toyota are estimated to have spent well over $1 billion on Formula One since their debut in 2002 but their achievements till now are meagre: two pole positions, one fastest lap and two second places for Italian Jarno Trulli [ Images ] in 2005.

The team are currently fifth in the constructors' championship with five points from three races.