Toyota’s disappointing history in Formula 1

The news announced this morning at 04:00 in Spain is not unexpected. There have been rumors of a collaboration between Toyota and Haas for months, although it remains to be seen whether this will be a simple sponsorship or a far-reaching technical partnership.

It has finally been confirmed that it will be the latter, as the American team will be able to, among other things, use the technical capabilities of Toyota Gazoo Racing in Cologne, and the Japanese, in turn, will be able to commercially exploit the popularity of the Formula. 1.

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Toyota is no stranger to top motorsport. The brand was active in Formula 1 from 2002 to 2009, as a factory team with its own power units, and since 2005 also as an engine supplier for Jordan and Williams.

The Japanese entered Formula 1 after success in the WRC with Carlos Sainz Sr. (With Celica and with him Corolla) and his two participations (1998 and 1999) in the 24 Hours of Le Mans with the team GT-One

. In parallel with this latest adventure, Toyota announced in early 1999 that it would be part of the Formula 1 grid from 2002.

Toyota didn’t make this announcement overnight. He created everything necessary for the Formula 1 team to be located at his headquarters in Cologne, and not, as usual, in the English Motor Valley. Employees left the ranks Toyota Motorsports GmbHwho had also previously worked on the Le Mans project and now began designing and building the TF101. After a year and a half of intensive testing, a completely new TF102 was built for its official debut.

Allan McNish in Australia at the first Toyota Grand Prix

This car first saw action with Allan McNish and Mika Salo behind the wheel at the 2002 Australian Grand Prix. McNish crashed in a pileup at the start of that race, but Salo finished sixth (meaning he scored one point). time), among other reasons, because half of the riders dropped out of the race immediately after it began (only eight finished).

Toyota, rumored to have one of the biggest budgets in Formula 1, added another point in that first season to finish tenth (second to last) in the Constructors’ Championship.

McNisha and Salo were thanked for their work and were replaced in 2003 by Olivier Panis and Cristiano da Matta from the American ChampCar Series. Although the team scored 16 points at TF103, eighth place at the World Championships was nothing to be proud of. The team also finished eighth in 2004, after which Toyota changed course and opted for Jarno Trulli (who had already competed in two races in 2004) and Ralf Schumacher.

This was his premiere:

Ralf Schumacher and Jarno Trulli in 2005.

Toyota’s previous “new era” in Formula 1

Things got better with the TF105 (successor to the controversial T104, very similar to the Ferrari 2003-GA). Toyota had five podium finishes in 2005, including two second places for Trulli in Malaysia and Brazil. In fact, the team finished fourth in the constructors’ standings, but were unable to continue these successes in subsequent years, partly due to the switch from V10 to V8 engines.

They scored a further eight podiums until 2009, but their 2005 fourth place finish was not surpassed. In 2009in the midst of a global crisis that has also hit the automotive industry hardToyota management decided to close this profitable project. That year was the final fiasco, as, along with Brawn GP and Williams, Toyota was another team that staged this scandalous event. double diffuser which was key to Jenson Button’s world championship with Brawn GP, ​​but not enough to allow Toyota to have a good season (they were third and fourth in the first race of the distance but then fizzled out).

Jarno Trulli in Abu Dhabi at the last Toyota Grand Prix

For some time there was talk about a return, but this project never got off the ground. The fleeting Spanish team HRT were also interested in the Toyota chassis for some time, but eventually opted for Dallara

.

Williams, which was the only team to use Toyota engines in 2009, was forced to opt for the 2010 Cosworth CA2010 V8 in 2010.

Now, more than a decade later, Toyota will return to Formula 1, albeit in a different form, as Haas’ technical partner. Of course, perhaps this is the beginning of a transition, or perhaps his name will disappear again in the coming years. Only time and success will tell.

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Watch: TOYOTA RETURNS TO F1 AS HAAS TECHNICAL PARTNER

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