TOYOTA TF108

   The enormous capital, both financial and human, deployed by Toyota to achieve good results in Formula 1 was finally rewarded, at least in part, by the positive 2008 season. After years of continuous disappointment, with the TF108 the Japanese manufacturer, whose operational headquarters were located in Cologne, Germany, at the Toyota Motorsports GmbH facility, finally achieved at least some of the results it had hoped for. In 2008, the technical staff of Toyota Racing represented one of the most impressive deployments of resources ever seen in Formula 1, with an estimated budget between 300 and 400 million dollars. Efforts were made to overcome, at least partially, the bureaucratic rigidities that had slowed the team in previous years. The German structure, however, still had to answer to the Japanese parent company which, under the directives of Yoshiaki Kinoshita (Executive Vice President – Technical) and Noritoshi Arai (Director Technical Coordination), imposed the philosophy of Kaizen (continuous improvement) applied to Formula 1.

TOYOTA TF108, Jarno Trulli
Magny-Cours, French GP 2008

   In Cologne, the chain of command stabilized around a few key figures who sought to give the TF108 a clear identity. Pascal Vasselon (Senior General Manager Chassis) was the true architect of the 2008 resurgence, introducing a working methodology based on data analysis and a deep understanding of Bridgestone tires. Alongside him worked John Litjens as Chief Designer and David Neilsen as Chief Designer – Car Concept. Mark Gillan (Head of Aerodynamics) was responsible for the highly refined aerodynamic package, assisted by Jason Somerville (Deputy Head of Aerodynamics). Luca Marmorini (Head of Engine Department) and Hiroshi Yajima (Chief Designer Engine) were the fathers of the RVX-08 V8. Under their guidance, the Toyota engine became a benchmark for reliability and mechanical integration. Equally important were the men who managed the TF108 during race weekends, such as Richard Cregan (Team Manager), who handled the logistics and operations of the team between races, Dieter Gass (Chief Engineer Race & Test), who served as the link between the factory and the track with the task of translating simulations into real setups, and Gianluca Pisanello (Jarno Trulli’s race engineer). The symbiotic relationship between Pisanello and the Italian driver allowed Trulli to perform at his best, especially during his legendary “Trulli Trains” (the incredible defensive drives in races after excellent qualifying sessions). Despite the enormous technical talent, the German structure still suffered in 2008 from an overly heavy hierarchy that required approval from headquarters in Japan for crucial decisions, a factor that many engineers of the time pointed to as the true limitation of the team.

TOYOTA TF108, Timo Glock
Catalunya-Barcelona, Spanish GP 2008 

   The beating heart of the Toyota TF108 was the RVX-08 V8 engine, a power unit representing the pinnacle of Cologne’s engine engineering. The Toyota engine was not known for having the pure power (around 750 hp) of the Mercedes or Ferrari V8s, nor for the drivability of the Renault engine, but it excelled in fuel efficiency (around 2–3% lower consumption than its competitors) and in its excellent integration with the new TF108 chassis. This was made possible thanks to an extremely efficient cooling system that allowed for very tightly packaged sidepods, benefiting aerodynamics. The aerodynamics of the TF108 represented a real reversal of the conservative philosophy of previous years. The team abandoned the short wheelbase and low-nose concept to embrace a far more extreme configuration that was highly sensitive to airflow. The front wing featured an additional upper profile (the so-called bridge wing) extending over the nose, designed to direct airflow not only toward the floor but also over the bodywork. The wheelbase of the TF108 was significantly longer than that of previous Toyota cars. This technical choice served to move the front wheels farther away from the radiator inlets. By distancing the turbulence generated by the front wheels, and thanks to the complexity of the bargeboards with dozens of small overlapping profiles designed to energize the airflow directed toward the rear diffuser, the sidepods could work with a much cleaner airflow. The reduced size of the cooling system also allowed for an extremely compact rear end, increasing the downforce generated by the diffuser without increasing aerodynamic drag. However, this aerodynamic extremization made the car extremely fast in clean air (qualifying) but very sensitive when following another car (race conditions), where dirty air caused all those small aerodynamic appendages to lose efficiency.

TOYOTA TF108, Timo Glock
Melbourne, Australian GP 2008

   If the aerodynamics of the Toyota TF108 were visible and complex, its mechanical design was a masterpiece of engineering pragmatism. Beneath the carbon-fiber bodywork lay a structure designed for maximum torsional rigidity and millimetric weight distribution. Without electronic aids, mechanical stability became fundamental. Pascal Vasselon insisted on an extremely rigid chassis, allowing the push-rod suspensions to operate without interference from chassis flex. At the front, Toyota also adopted the Zero-Keel solution, with the suspension arms attached directly to the chassis, leaving the underbody completely free for airflow toward the diffuser. Alongside the already mentioned Italian driver Jarno Trulli, the TF108 was also driven during the 2008 championship by the German Timo Glock. The car’s performance in 2008 represented the competitive “swan song” of the Japanese giant in Formula 1. After years of enormous investments that had produced mediocre results, the TF108 finally managed to transform the team’s budget into excellent performance, becoming a regular presence in the top ten.

TOYOTA TF108, Jarno Trulli
Magny-Cours, French GP 2008 

   The TF108 was an exceptional car over a single lap, largely thanks to Trulli’s ability to extract the maximum from the aerodynamic package. The Italian driver often qualified on the front rows, forcing drivers in faster cars (such as McLaren or Ferrari) to remain stuck behind him for half the race, a phenomenon humorously dubbed by English commentators “The Trulli Train”. In races, the performances were slightly more inconsistent than in qualifying but still solid, thanks also to the rock-solid reliability of the mechanics and engine, allowing the team to collect valuable points by capitalizing on the retirements of others. Trulli finished in the points in eight races, also achieving a podium finish in France, while Glock was somewhat less consistent, finishing in the points in only six races but capable of achieving the team’s best result of the season with second place in Hungary. Unintentionally, Glock also became the arbiter of the championship in the final race of the season in Brazil. As the track conditions changed from dry to wet, the German remained on track with slick tires. For three laps Glock was the fastest man on track despite the prohibitive conditions, but in the final kilometer, with the rain becoming torrential, the performance dropped dramatically, making the car almost undriveable. This allowed Hamilton to overtake him in a historic move, crossing the finish line in fifth place and gaining the points necessary to become World Champion, beating Massa by a single point. Toyota concluded its best Formula 1 season with 56 points and fifth place in the Constructors’ Championship.