2005 Team Foundations

By Toyota PR
January 8 2005

 

 

TEAM FOUNDATIONS

 

 

As the Toyota F1 team enters it's 4th year in competitive motorsport -
the most demanding motorsport - Formula One, we take a look at the
men behind the car design and the day to day running of the team.

 

  

 

 

Toyota Motorsport - Management

		Tsutomu Tomita Chairman and Team Principal "The biggest lesson we learnt in 2004 was to never take anything for granted and to use the disappointing results as a springboard to greater things." Tsutomu Tomita's Toyota career began in the twilight years of the 1960s, when he joined the corporation as an engine development engineer in 1969. Two decades later, in 1987, he took control of all Toyota racing engines, including Le Mans V8 and V10s and those for the World Rally Championship. His passionate devotion to Toyota was rewarded in 1996, when he became a member of the board of directors, a post through which he was able to further pursue his love of motorsport. As the man responsible for all of Toyota's international motorsport activities, Tomita was the driving force behind the corporation's decision to enter Formula 1. Moreover, it was Tomita's belief in adopting the ultimate challenge that fuelled Toyota's decision to form its own works team, producing the complete car from scratch at its European motorsports subsidiary, Toyota Motorsport GmbH in Cologne. "The fact that we design and build both engine and chassis under one roof in Cologne makes our team special," Tomita explains. "That we are trying to achieve in just a few short years what the more established F1 teams have accomplished over decades is a tremendously enjoyable challenge. By forging a strong one-roof power, I believe we have become an accepted member of the F1 world. Now, we must transfer our passion into results." Midway through the 2003 season, Panasonic Toyota Racing's second season in F1, Tomita moved to the Toyota Motorsport factory to spearhead Toyota's F1 activities on site as Chairman. At the start of 2004, Tomita became Team Principal of the Panasonic Toyota Racing team, a role that encompasses all daily management of Toyota's F1 activities, alongside President John Howett. "It is my job to make our team successful," Tomita says. "In 2005, only our fourth season in F1, we want to bring the Toyota name to the fore and to enjoy our most competitive season yet."
		John Howett President "We made all the right changes in 2004, but the results were not forthcoming. Midway through the season we began to look to look at the revised regulations for 2005 and this in turn masked the improvements we made. Our job this season must be to deliver results." John Howett has been a Toyota man for over 25 years, having graduated with distinction from the Loughborough College of Technology in 1973. He first stepped into the motorsport arena in the late 1970s, co-ordinating the rally team's service and preparation operations alongside Ove Andersson for three years. He then moved to Toyota (GB) Ltd. in 1980, where he was involved in every aspect of after-sales service until 1991. The next phase of Howett's illustrious Toyota career took him to Belgium, where he joined Toyota Motor Marketing Europe (TMME). Over a ten-year period, Howett held several positions in the Marketing Division, supervising Product Management, Research, and Brand before later being appointed as Vice-President for Toyota/Lexus Sales & Marketing in January 2001. In 2002, he took over the role of Vice-President in charge of all after-sales activities of TMME before moving to Cologne at the start of 2003 to being a new chapter as President of Toyota Motorsport. "As President, I am responsible for the overall management of the entire Formula 1 operation, together with Tomita-san. We strive to make continuous improvements to the team with a focus on improved track performance and results." After a difficult 2004, Howett is looking forward to a brighter 2005 season, his third as President of Panasonic Toyota Racing, not only for the team, but also for Formula 1 in general. "I am confident that we will have our most competitive season yet in 2005," he explains. "Our goal is to challenge and win in Formula 1 using our full capabilities, but we know this takes time. 2005 is only our fourth season in F1, but it will mark a significant step on the way to the top."

Yoshiaki Kinoshita Executive Vice-President "Based on what Panasonic Toyota Racing learned in 2004, I think that the biggest challenge we will face lies in the aerodynamics area." A Mechanical Engineering graduate from Kyusyu University, Yoshiaki Kinoshita originally joined Toyota Motor Corporation in 1979 as an engine research and development engineer. Kinoshita also has a vast experience of Toyota's motorsport activities, having been involved in the World Rally Championship from 1989 to 1995 and concurrently in the Le Mans programmes of 1992 and 1993. From there, Kinoshita moved to the USA to work at Toyota Motor Sales and Toyota Racing Development from 1996 to 2001. His specific role over the six-year period was Vice-President for the team's CART programme, which saw him lead all operations and play an integral part in developing the Toyota CART engine into a regular race victor and eventual championship winner. From 2004, Kinoshita took over full responsibility for all technical developments in Toyota's numerous motorsport projects around the globe as a General Manager, Motor Sport Division at Toyota Motor Corporation. In 2005, Kinoshita will adopt a dual role, alongside his existing function in Japan, he will also become Executive Vice-President of Toyota Motorsport. "I am very excited to have more of an active role in the ongoing development of the Panasonic Toyota Racing team," says Kinoshita. "Working at the Motor Sports Division in Japan, I have been involved in the F1 operations at the Higashifuji Technical Centre, but now I will also have the chance to play a fuller role in the team. In 2005, I hope we can finally make the breakthrough to begin challenging the leading teams."

Toyota Motorsport - Technical

		Mike Gascoyne Technical Director Chassis "2004 was spent optimising our resources and essentially preparing the whole team to make a big step forward in 2005." Mike Gascoyne's career in Formula 1 began in 1989 when he joined McLaren for a two-year spell as aerodynamicist. A brief sojourn as Chassis Dynamicist at Tyrrell led to a three-year post as Head of Aerodynamics at Sauber from 1991. In 1994, Gascoyne rejoined Tyrrell as Deputy Technical Director, where he made his base for almost five years until the team's demise in 1998. His move to Jordan that same year saw Gascoyne take over Technical Directorship of the Silverstone-based team. The 1999 season was Jordan's most successful to date with two victories, six podiums and third place in the constructors' championship. In 2001, Gascoyne switched to Renault (formerly Benetton) as Technical Director and led the Anglo-French team to its debut victory in the 2003 Hungarian Grand Prix. With a proven record for F1 success, Gascoyne began a new chapter in his career in December 2003 when he joined Panasonic Toyota Racing as Technical Director Chassis. "The pressure on Toyota to succeed in Formula 1 is unprecedented," Gascoyne says, "but few realise the enormity of the challenge we have. To come in and decide to build both chassis and engine in one factory is a massive undertaking." Gascoyne begins his second full season at Toyota in 2005, eager to fulfil promise and to take Panasonic Toyota Racing into the upper echelons of the constructors' championship. "Our objectives in 2005 revolve around making the much-anticipated step towards the front of the grid," he explains. "The hard work we put in last season may not have been reflected in the overall results, but I am sure this will pay dividends in 2005."
		Luca Marmorini Technical Director Engine "At Toyota, we have managed to produce what I believe is one of the best engines in Formula 1." Luca Marmorini joined Toyota Motorsport in September 1999 as Project Leader of the engine department. His initial role encapsulated all technical activities including design, calculation, R&D and dyno support. In just under twelve months, the Italian and his team of engineers created Toyota's first ever V10 engine, the RVX-01. Marmorini, who holds a degree and a Ph.D. in mechanical engineering, soon took over complete control of the Toyota's V10 operations, stepping up to become General Manager of the engine department at the start of 2003. One year later, he was promoted to Technical Director Engine to complement Technical Director Chassis Mike Gascoyne. In its three seasons to date, Panasonic Toyota Racing has only experienced four engine failures over a total of 51 races – an impressive statistic to most, but not to Marmorini. "Our target is always zero failures," he says. Nevertheless, Toyota has enjoyed substantial praise for its V10 in its short F1 history. "I think the root of our success stems from the core group of dedicated engineers we initiated back in 2000. It is the communication and integration we have internally that enables us to progress. That is the key," believes Marmorini. After mastering revised technical regulations in 2004 that saw the lifespan of the RVX-04 model double that of its RVX­03 predecessor, Marmorini and his team have yet more hurdles to clear in 2005 in the form of new rules that dictate F1 engines must last for two entire race weekends. "It is a real technical challenge," he admits, "but certainly an enjoyable one."
		Keizo Takahashi Director Technical Co-Ordination "As a team, we are still learning a lot of things, but together with Toyota Motor Corporation, we are pushing hard to achieve our goals." Keizo Takahashi celebrates 25 years at Toyota in 2005. His career started in 1980 as an engine designer for Toyota passenger cars, where he stayed for 17 years. In 1997, Takahashi moved away from road cars, but remained immersed in his passion for engine design, developing the race engine for Toyota's then recent participation in the United States CART championship. Two years later, he took up the position of Project General Manager for the CART programme. Shortly after Juan Pablo Montoya took Toyota's first CART victory, Takahashi moved to Europe and Toyota Motorsport, who had just entered into the world of Formula 1. "Toyota's entry in Formula 1 is special," believes Takahashi. "Not because we are creating engine and chassis on our own from a blank sheet of paper, but because we are working on a global level together with Toyota's Motor Sport Division in Japan." In 2003, Takahashi took up a new position as General Manager of Car Design and Development before becoming Director Technical Co-Ordination for the 2004 season, a position which he continues in 2005. In this role, Takahashi assumes responsibility for the intensified technical liaison between Toyota Motorsport in Cologne and Toyota Motor Corporation in Japan, working closely with Executive Vice-President Yoshiaki Kinoshita. Takahashi says: "TMC's technical support for the F1 activities has been considerably increased in recent years and has already been beneficial to the Panasonic Toyota Racing team. On the other hand, we must continue to strengthen our development for the future to maintain our progress. TMC will also provide invaluable support to us in this area."
		Gustav Brunner Chief Designer "The design and engineering staff endured a difficult time in 2004, but they have never given up and if anything have come out ever more motivated than ever before." The 2005 season marks Gustav Brunner's fifth consecutive year as Panasonic Toyota Racing Chief Designer. Brunner's motorsport career dates back to the late 1970's when he joined the ATS team. By the end of the 1980s, he had spent time at Arrows, Ferraro, Alfa Romeo and Ram Hart, which ultimately led to a two-year post as Technical Director of Leyton House. A short spell at the March team in 1992 was followed by a year at Minardi before Brunner joined Ferrari's R&D department in 1994. His technical expertise were once again snapped up by Minardi in 1997, where he spent three fruitful years as Technical Director before joining Toyota Motorsport as Chief Designer in May 2001. "In Toyota's short history in Formula 1, the engine has always appeared to be the stronger part of the package," says Brunner, "but we have been working hard to produce a more equally competitive chassis/engine package in 2005." Effective restructuring of the chassis department under the guidance of Mike Gascoyne enabled Brunner to concentrate fully on the TF105 from an early stage of the 2004 season, giving the team the benefit of long-lead development on its 2005 race car. "Formula 1 demands forward momentum all the time," Brunner admits. "As a relatively new team, we have had to double our efforts each season to make significant progress and reduce the gap to the leading teams."

Toyota Motorsport - Operations

		Richard Cregan General Manager F1 Operations "The ability and expertise to design, manufacture and build a complete race car under one roof will always be the key to success." A Toyota employee since 1984, Richard Cregan has held numerous positions in his 21 years at Toyota Motorsport. In that time, the Irishman has seen his career ladder take him through the championship-winning rally programme to the near-misses in the Le Mans 24 hours. Since 2001, he has been General Manager F1 Operations. Together with Ove Andersson, Cregan realised the potential and necessity to set up an in-house manufacturing base within the Toyota Motorsport factory in Cologne that, together with engineering, now forms the core for the Formula 1 project. With an education in aircraft engineering, and diplomas in business strategy and applied finance, Cregan's role at Panasonic Toyota Racing sees him heavily immersed in the daily running of technical operations both in Cologne and at the race track. "To be successful we need the right people for the job and use the resources effectively," Cregan notes. "Our target is to operate as effectively as a smaller team, mainly in terms of communication and teamwork." Since August 2004, Cregan has taken over team management responsibilities, in addition to his existing operational functions. This multi-faceted role incorporates regular liaison with Formula 1's governing body, the FIA, to guarantee the team complies with sporting regulations during the race weekend. Cregan also oversees all activities related to the Panasonic Toyota Racing drivers. "All aspects of my operations and team management responsibilities are demanding and rewarding in equal measure," explains Cregan. "As a team in 2005, we must raise our game to achieve a performance level that mirrors the technical excellence that I believe we have at Toyota."
		Dieter Gass Chief Race Engineer "There are always a lot of small things that you learn during a season, no matter how much experience you already have, so the learning curve never stops." With a successful background in Le Mans, Touring Cars and other manufacturer series, including a championship-winning stint as a racing driver from 1988-1991, Gass joined Panasonic Toyota Racing at the start of its F1 programme in 2001. The German was appointed as a test engineer for the team's intensive season of preparation with the TF101 test car at 11 Grands Prix circuits worldwide. In 2002, as Panasonic Toyota Racing made its debut in the FIA Formula 1 World Championship, he stepped up to become a race engineer for car number 25 - Allan McNish's TF102. From the Italian Grand Prix in September 2002, a new role as Chief Race Engineer saw Gass further his involvement in the team's on-track activities during race weekend. "As Chief Race Engineer, I am technically responsible for making sure that our race cars run according to our specification and in conformity with the FIA regulations over a race weekend," comments Gass. "In addition, I am involved in developing our race strategy, as well as dealing with the liaison between the track and the factory concerning every technical aspect of the car." In 2005, Gass will continue in his position as Chief Race Engineer, but will also assume responsibility for the test team as Chief Test Engineer. Gass concludes: "With experienced and skilled staff from all over the world, we have been able to build up a base in Germany which gives us the foundation for future success."