Toyota today made public its new 2009 challenger for the first time. The TF109 takes on a new shape, dictated by the FIA, with wider front wings, narrower rear wings and fewer additional aerodynamic devices the fashion for 2009.

The launch completed an exhaustive development process which began in October 2007, when the 2009 regulations were confirmed. The TF109 begins pre-season testing on 19th January at Algarve Motor Park in Portugal.

Despite the TF109's fundamentally different appearance, Toyota Racing's ambitious goals remain, as Chairman and Team Principal Tadashi Yamashina states: "Our target this year is to fight to win the first race for Toyota in Formula One."

The significant progress shown in 2008, when the team hit its targets of returning to the podium and significantly increasing its points total, has bred confidence. The team achieved two podiums, one front row start and, with 56, scored more points than in 2006 and 2007 combined.

"We have gained a huge amount of knowledge and improved considerably. There are many elements of our team which are at the very highest level so the challenge now is to fill any gaps and ensure the entire organisation is performing at the very top. Then we must put all the elements together and deliver the success we are all fighting so hard for," President John Howett said.


The Driving Force
After consistent and competitive performances in 2008, Jarno Trulli and Timo Glock will continue behind the wheel, joined again by third driver Kamui Kobayashi, who will also race in GP2 Asia and the GP2 Series.

"In my opinion Toyota has one of the best driver line-ups in Formula One and I am excited to see what they can do with the TF109," Tadashi Yamashina commented. "Both drivers proved last season that if we give them a competitive car they are capable of fighting with the best in the world, so our challenge this year is to deliver a car which will allow them to do this more often."

Trulli is preparing for his fifth full season with the team and his experience has proved invaluable in the team's development, while Glock's natural speed and enthusiasm are the perfect compliment.

Trulli, who has achieved four of the team's eight podiums so far, is entering his 13th season in Formula One and his legendary passion for motorsport remains undimmed.


"I still have plenty I want to achieve in Formula One but my dream now is to win the first race for Toyota," the 34-year-old Italian said. "I have now spent longer racing for Toyota in Formula One than any other driver and I have seen the huge progress that has been made since I joined in 2004. It has been a long journey and we have had ups and downs but we have never given up or lost faith. It was fantastic to be back on the podium last year, as well as leading several races, and my target is to enjoy more of those moments."

Glock broke into the top ten in the drivers' championship in his first full season of F1 in 2008, quickly adapting to his new team and equalling the team's best-ever result by finishing second in the Hungarian Grand Prix. Despite being only 22 Grand Prix into his career, Glock has shown maturity and excellent technical feedback, leaving him confident of thriving in Formula One's new era of lower downforce, slick tyres and adjustable front wings.

The 26-year-old German says: "If you look back at the cars I have been racing for the last five years they have all been quite different, with the 2004 Jordan, then Champ Car, GP2 and the Toyota TF108, and I have been competitive in each of them. That shows how quickly I can adapt to a different car so I don't have any concerns at all about adjusting to the 2009-style Formula 1 cars. I am sure the other drivers will adapt quickly as well but I certainly expect to hit the ground running."

For Toyota Young Drivers Programme star Kobayashi, this is his second season with the team and he will continue his motorsport education by fighting for wins in the GP2 Series while also helping Panasonic Toyota Racing tackle the new regulations.

"I'm really pleased to be continuing with the team and I'm looking forward to the challenge of developing the TF109," said the 22-year-old Japanese. "It will be another busy season for me with GP2 and F1 development but I am young and I love driving racing cars so it's no problem. I will fight all the way this year, never giving up and always giving everything I can."

The Shape of Things to Come
The new chassis regulations are motivated by three factors: to make overtaking easier; to limit the continual increase in average speeds and to make the cars' appearance cleaner.

The visual differences are significant, particularly the front and rear wings. At 1800mm, front wings are wider and 75mm lower while rear wings are 75% narrower at 750mm. As well as reducing downforce and speeds, these changes aim to increase a driver's chance to overtake the car in front.

Such a transition gave engineers a clean sheet of paper for the TF109 design, with relatively few concepts carried over from previous cars. Using 'Toyota Way' principles, the challenge has been addressed methodically and enthusiastically.

Senior General Manager Chassis Pascal Vasselon said: "We have worked to the maximum of our capabilities as we always do but this time it had to be special because the rule changes were so big that we had to reconsider everything. So this complete programme has been more demanding on our company than any previous new car project I have been involved in."

Another change this year sees the return of Bridgestone Potenza slick tyres after a 12-year absence, increasing grip levels and potentially making overtaking easier. Vasselon explains: "If you are following another car closely you lose a lot of aerodynamic performance and that makes it extraordinarily difficult to overtake. So to promote overtaking it is necessary to reduce the reliance on aerodynamic grip, because it is inconsistent, and that is where slick tyres come in, by increasing mechanical grip."

Power Points
It was not only the chassis department who had to adapt to new regulations, with significant modifications in engine rules for 2009 as well.

The engine department has a new look for 2009 following the departure of Senior General Manager Engine Luca Marmorini who made a large contribution to Toyota since the beginning of the Formula One project, including invaluable work on the RVX-09 engine and Kinetic Energy Recovery System projects, but he has chosen to leave the team.

Executive Vice President Yoshiaki Kinoshita continues to hold overall responsibility for both the chassis and the engine departments while Kazuo Takeuchi will become Senior General Manager Engine in addition to his role as Director Technical Coordination Engine.

Engine life has been extended from two to at least three Grand Prix weekends, excluding Friday practice, incorporating a limit of eight engines per driver during the racing season. That measure not only saves cost, it also creates an additional challenge for the engine department, but the team's ambitious targets remain.

Yoshiaki Kinoshita said: "At Toyota, our approach is always to aim high and last season we achieved our target of 100% engine reliability; we had no race-ending issues. I want the team to have the chance to use the engine in the same aggressive way we did last season, with no compromise on performance or reliability."

As part of this cost-saving measure, and to assist with reliability, engines will be limited to 18,000rpm; down by 1,000rpm on 2008.

Lean Machine
Cost-saving is high on the Formula One agenda and Panasonic Toyota Racing is committed to reducing expenditure while maintaining the sport as the pinnacle of motor racing. The Formula One Teams' Association (FOTA) and the International Automobile Federation (FIA) have agreed significant reductions for 2009, including a ban on in-season testing, wind tunnel restrictions and factory closures for six weeks a year.

"These are positive, decisive measures which will significantly reduce costs while retaining the DNA of Formula One and that was very important to Toyota," said John Howett.

But ensuring value for investment does not stop there for Toyota Racing, with increased efficiency and a thorough review of all costs providing direct savings at the factory. Howett adds: "It is vitally important to have a detailed knowledge of what is driving costs, then you need to be able to prioritise the areas which bring value or performance. A lean company must have a culture of waste reduction and constant improvement. Happily, these are all factors which Toyota puts particular emphasis on, even in prosperous economic times, so I am confident we are in good shape."

The team confirmed that long-time sponsor Panasonic will remain with the team until at least 2012.

E.A. © CAPSIS International

 

Looks pretty good. All the cars are really starting to look nearly identical now though, which I find unfortunate. BMW is the only really distinctive shape out on the grid as far as I've seen yet.

 

Why does Toyota compete in F1? They would be better off putting that money into building a REAL sports car instead of the boring sedans/SUV's that they are famous for.

 

BTW, a cool link of the Toyota F1 car being assembled.

Toyota 2009 F1 Car - Timelapse Build Video - Go Fast Video - Racing Videos

 

sick video...

 

I've been wondering that same thing for a long time now. Even Honda built/builds sportscars! Toyota should've brought back the Supra, MR2, and perhaps a cool reincarnation of the 2000GT.

+1

 

Toyota has a deficit first in 70 years.