TOYOTA TF103

   Toyota’s first year in Formula 1, managed by the European team based in Cologne, Germany, at the Toyota Motorsports GmbH (TMG) facilities, concluded with the achievement of the goal set by Team Principal Ove Andersson of Sweden. At the beginning of the season, he had designated 2002 as a learning year, useful for gaining experience and, above all, earning respect in the paddock from other teams. Toyota is known for making massive investments in every project it undertakes in order to achieve excellent results in a short time. After the learning experience of 2002, the start of the new championship naturally raised expectations. Approximately €350 million were allocated for the TF103, with the goal of consistently competing for top or at least significant positions.

TOYOTA TF103, Olivier Panis
Suzuka, Japanese GP 2003

   As is customary in Formula 1 during the winter, structural changes were made within the TMG team to increase overall operational efficiency, in line with Toyota’s corporate philosophy of continuous improvement. To underline the parent company’s greater involvement, Tsutomu Tomita took over as TMG president, while Ove Andersson was promoted to vice president, assisting Mr. Tomita and serving as the full-time representative of the Panasonic Toyota Racing team. During the season, however, Andersson was replaced by Briton John Howett, preferred by Tomita. Meanwhile, Keizo Takahashi, who in 2002 had been tasked with coordinating activities between Toyota’s Japanese and European headquarters, was appointed Technical Director, overseeing the design team, which included Chief Designer Gustav Brunner and French aerodynamic engineer René Hilhorst, who was responsible for the car’s aerodynamics. This marked the birth of the new Toyota TF103, the first Toyota car designed entirely by Brunner.

TOYOTA TF103, Cristiano da Matta
Melbuorne, Australian GP 2003

   The Austrian engineer opted for a fairly conservative design, essentially an evolution of the previous year’s TF102, rather than a radical innovation. The main problems of the earlier car were weight and aerodynamics; thus, the new TF103 was built lighter, about 90 kg less between chassis and engine, and featured aerodynamics inspired by the winning Ferrari F2002. In fact, aside from Toyota’s signature red-and-white livery with Panasonic sponsorship on the sidepods and wings, the TF103 bore a striking resemblance to the Maranello cars, though it could not match their performance. The car’s lightweight carbon-fiber monocoque chassis was reinforced at critical points and paired with traditional push-rod suspension featuring torsion-bar springs, along with a new engine and transmission system. After having entrusted the design of the previous engine to Norbert Kreyer, Toyota management brought in Italian Luca Marmorini (formerly of Ferrari) in mid-2002 to rework the V10 and develop the new RVX-03 for the TF103. Thanks to new alloys and advanced casting techniques, the engine was lighter and more powerful, producing around 845 hp at 18,400 rpm. It was extensively tested on the old TF102 from September 2002 onward to maintain the reliability of the previous V10, and it became the most significant innovation of the TF103. The transmission system was also completely redesigned, featuring a longitudinal seven-speed semi-automatic gearbox developed entirely in-house by Toyota, following experience with the previous X-Trac-derived six-speed unit.

TOYOTA TF103, Olivier Panis
Imola, San Marino GP 2003

   The new TF103 was unveiled on January 8, 2003, at the Paul Ricard circuit in Le Castellet, France, in the presence of TMG engineers and managers, along with Tsutomu Tomita, President of Panasonic Toyota Racing, and Toshiro Kurusu, Vice President of Toyota Motorsport—further emphasizing Japanese involvement in the Formula 1 project. The new driver lineup for the 2003 season was also presented: French veteran Olivier Panis and rising Brazilian star Cristiano da Matta, reigning 2002 CART FedEx Championship Series champion. Brazilian Ricardo Zonta was signed as test and third driver. Despite improvements in performance, the TF103 was still not on par with the best cars on the grid, and the season got off to a decidedly disappointing start. Panis, in particular, suffered from persistent reliability issues with the new transmission in the first nine races, forcing him to retire six times, with an eighth place in Canada as his only notable result. Da Matta fared slightly better, usually finishing races but only scoring points in Spain, where he took sixth place. With just two points finishes in nine races, Toyota’s management was clearly dissatisfied and demanded urgent corrective measures. Changes were made to the fuel system, gearbox structure, and a new aerodynamic package was introduced, which immediately brought the TF103 up to a more acceptable level of competitiveness.

TOYOTA TF103, Olivier Panis
A1 Ring, Austrian GP 2003

   In the second half of the season, Panis scored points again in France and Germany (eighth and fifth place), while Da Matta managed points finishes in Britain, Germany, and Japan, though never higher than sixth place. Notably, during the British Grand Prix at Silverstone, both Toyotas led the race for nearly half the distance following the chaos and safety car caused by a track invasion. Nevertheless, the 2003 season proved highly disappointing for Toyota, yielding only 16 points, helped by the fact that, starting that year, the top eight finishers scored points. An eighth-place finish in the Constructors’ Championship, ahead of only Jordan and Minardi, was far from satisfactory for the Japanese manufacturer, given the massive investments made to achieve strong results.