TOYOTA TF102

   After the AM01 laboratory car, later named TF101, covered almost 21,000 km in 2001 across eleven different circuits (all included in the 2002 calendar), Toyota was ready to make its Formula 1 debut with the team managed by TMG (Toyota Motorsports GmbH), headquartered in Cologne, Germany. Already during 2001, while the AM01 design group was working on the development of the single-seater, TMG management, led by the Swede Ove Andersson, was laying the foundations for what would later become the definitive technical staff for tackling its first Formula 1 season.

TOYOTA TF102, Allan McNish
Montréal, Canadian GP 2002

   The role of Technical Director was assigned to Dago Röhrer, an in-house TMG engineer who was also the Head of the chassis department, while the design of the new TF102 was entrusted to Austrian engineer Gustav Brunner. Having joined Toyota in May 2001 after nearly 25 years in Formula 1, Brunner took the position of Chief Designer for the emerging Panasonic Toyota Racing team. From within Toyota came Technical Coordinator Keizo Takahashi, tasked with organizing work between the Japanese headquarters and the European base. The delicate role of Head of Aerodynamics was given to René Hilhorst, a French aeronautical engineer who, after positions at Minardi and Sauber, had been recruited in 1998 by André de Costanze to work on Toyota’s GT-One prototype endurance car before being reassigned to the Formula 1 project. The new engine for the TF102 was built directly by TMG, making Toyota the second team on the 2002 grid, alongside Ferrari, to build both chassis and engine in the same facility. It was also the only team based in Germany and the first with a Japanese license since 1968. Although Renault also built its own chassis and engine, the former was manufactured in Enstone, England, while the latter came from Viry-Châtillon, France.

TOYOTA TF102, Mika Salo
Catalunya-Barcelona, Spanish GP 2002

   Following the work of Luca Marmorini in 2001, who oversaw the development of the Japanese V10, the new RVX-02 V10 engine was developed under Norbert Kreyer, tasked with redesigning the power unit from scratch. With a displacement of 2998 cc and a 72° V-angle, the new Toyota V10 delivered 835 hp at 18,200 rpm on the test bench, although on-track performance would prove less impressive. The V10 was paired with a longitudinal semi-automatic 6-speed gearbox, designed by Toyota with Toyota/Xtrac internals. To support such an ambitious project, TMG’s Cologne facility was expanded from 18,000 to 30,000 square meters, with additional staff and an almost equal split between chassis and engine departments. This allowed the team to progress simultaneously in developing all components of the single-seater. The TF102 was unveiled in Cologne at the TMG headquarters in the presence of Toyota executives and the two drivers chosen for the 2002 Formula 1 World Championship: Finland’s Mika Salo and Britain’s Allan McNish. Both had already been with Toyota in 2001, tasked with developing the test car. According to Ove Andersson, the 2001 test car had delivered the expected results, and the new TF102 embodied the latest technology but with a more conventional configuration compared to the prototype.

TOYOTA TF102, Mika Salo
Catalunya-Barcelona, Spanish GP 2002 

   The TF102 was, in fact, a very classic single-seater, resembling the successful 2001 grid cars. Its high, curved nose supported a spoon-shaped front wing; the sidepods were larger at the front but slimmer and lower at the rear; the engine cover had an oval air intake; and small winglets were placed ahead of the rear wheels to optimize airflow. The chassis was a traditional carbon-fiber monocoque with honeycomb structure, fitted with push-rod suspension both front and rear. For tires, Toyota opted for French Michelin rather than Japanese Bridgestone. The TF102’s livery retained the white-and-red scheme of the test car but with a more abstract design resembling a “brushstroke,” while main sponsor Panasonic was prominently displayed on the sidepods and rear wing. According to Andersson, 2002 would be a learning year, useful for gaining experience and, above all, earning respect in the paddock from rival teams. Simply building a car “similar” to the winning ones would not be enough to achieve results, though at the debut in Australia, Toyota surprised everyone by scoring sixth place with Salo, a result repeated two races later in Brazil, while McNish missed points in Malaysia only due to a pit stop error by the team.

TOYOTA TF102, Allan McNish
Spa-Francorchamps, Belgian GP 2002

   The two points collected in the first three races, however, remained Toyota’s only points of 2002. Typical rookie issues, both with the car and the team, emerged in subsequent races, with numerous retirements caused mostly by gearbox and engine failures. Only toward the end of the season did the TF102 regain reliability, allowing Toyota to resume the long journey toward competitiveness. At the end of the year, Toyota finished tenth in the Constructors’ Championship with two points, tied with Minardi but ranked behind the Italian team thanks to Webber’s fifth place in Australia. Nevertheless, Andersson’s initial objective was fully met, and the foundations were in place for Toyota’s future ambitions in Formula 1.