Toyota TF104

Last updated
Toyota TF104
Toyota TF104B
Toyota f1 usgp 2004.jpg
Category Formula One
Constructor Toyota
Designer(s) Keizo Takahashi (Technical Director)
Gustav Brunner (Chief Designer)
René Hilhorst  [ ja ](Head of Aerodynamics)
Predecessor TF103
Successor TF105
Technical specifications [1]
Chassis Carbon-fibre and honeycomb composite monocoque
Suspension (front)Pushrod with torsion bar. Shock absorbers supplied by Sachs
Suspension (rear)As front
Length4,627  mm (182.17  in)
Width1,800  mm (70.87  in)
Height950  mm (37.40  in)
Axle track
  • Front: 1,425  mm (56.10  in)
  • Rear: 1,411  mm (55.55  in)
Wheelbase 3,090  mm (121.65  in)
Engine Toyota RVX-04 3.0 litres (183 cubic inches) 72-degree V10 naturally-aspirated mid-engined and longitudinally-mounted
Transmission Toyota 7-speed with 1 reverse sequential semi-automatic with limited-slip differential
Battery Panasonic lead acid 12 volts
PowerAround 900  bhp (671  kW) @ 19,000 rpm [2]
Weight600  kg (1,323  lb) including driver and fuel
Fuel Esso
Lubricants Esso
Brakes Carbon-carbon ventilated front and rear discs + pads + calipers (all supplied by Brembo)
Tyres Michelin Pilot Sport F1 with BBS magnesium wheels
Competition history
Notable entrants Panasonic Toyota Racing
Notable drivers16. Flag of Brazil.svg Cristiano da Matta
16/17. Flag of Brazil.svg Ricardo Zonta
16. Flag of Italy.svg Jarno Trulli
17. Flag of France.svg Olivier Panis
Debut 2004 Australian Grand Prix
Last event 2004 Brazilian Grand Prix
RacesWins Poles F/Laps
18000
Constructors' Championships0
Drivers' Championships0

The Toyota TF104 was a Formula One car used by the Toyota F1 team during the 2004 Formula One season.

Contents

The car was the third and final Gustav Brunner and René Hilhorst designed Toyota in Formula One, and it was considered as another "evolutionary step" up from its predecessor the TF103, which in turn had been labelled a "evolutionary step" up from the TF102 used in 2002. Luca Marmorini continued to lead the engine design.

The car was initially driven by the same pairing as in 2003; Olivier Panis and Cristiano da Matta. However, by the time the season came to a conclusion, both drivers had been replaced by Italy's Jarno Trulli and the team's Brazilian ex-test driver Ricardo Zonta respectively.

Development

Development on the car had begun in earnest, some ten months prior to its unveiling. Upon launch, designer Gustav Brunner said; "The TF103 was a highly competitive package. Unfortunately, we couldn't get all of the performance out of it. Theoretically, the TF104 is an evolutionary step up from the TF103, but in fact, the TF104 shares not a single part that we used with the TF103. We improved every single inch of the chassis, and redesigned every important internal component. We achieved a great leap ahead aerodynamically, made the car lighter overall, and increased the rigidity of the chassis". [3]

This continued approach was deemed to be too unambitious by many critics and this was confirmed by the overall performance of the car. Ultimately, this led to Brunner's dismissal midway through the season and it was the former Jordan and Renault Technical Director Mike Gascoyne who came in to replace him. [4]

Known for his ability to assess weaknesses, and re-invigorate a team, Gascoyne started work immediately on revising the TF104.

TF104B

The resulting TF104B chassis couldn't be considered revolutionary either, but neither was it supposed to be with Gascoyne merely working to try to eradicate some of the initial conceptual flaws in the Brunner design. The revised car was introduced at the German Grand Prix to some positive effect, [5] but rather than continue on that upward trend, Gascoyne ordered the freezing of any further development to concentrate on the upcoming TF105 chassis to be used in the 2005 Formula One season.

Espionage allegation controversy

During the season, the car's similarity to the previous year's championship car, the Ferrari F2003-GA, was so noted that there were accusations of the team of using stolen data files from Scuderia Ferrari. The case was investigated by the district attorney of Cologne, where Toyota F1 is based. Following the allegations, Toyota was reported to have refused to send the data back to Italy because they did not want Ferrari to take advantage of their own data, which had been mixed in with Ferrari's. [6] [7]

Performance

Overall the car and the season was considered to be a disaster, with the team, now in its third season of competition, managing only a second consecutive eighth place Constructors' Championship finish. The ramifications of the car's poor performance were some key departures; technical director Gustav Brunner was fired mid-season and Cristiano da Matta soon followed having been blamed himself for lacklustre performances.

With the arrival of Mike Gascoyne as technical director, alongside the announcements of Jarno Trulli and Ralf Schumacher for 2005, it could be argued that the Toyota F1 operation took on a slightly different feel over the course of the 2004 season.

Complete Formula One results

(key) (results in bold indicate pole position)

YearEntrantChassisEngineTyresDrivers123456789101112131415161718PointsWCC
2004 Toyota TF104 Toyota RVX-04 V10 M AUS MAL BHR SMR ESP MON EUR CAN USA FRA GBR GER HUN BEL ITA CHN JPN BRA 98th
Flag of Brazil.svg Cristiano da Matta 12910Ret136RetDSQRet1413
Flag of France.svg Olivier Panis 1312911Ret811DSQ515Ret
TF104B Flag of Brazil.svg Cristiano da Matta Ret
Flag of France.svg Olivier Panis 14118Ret1414
Flag of Brazil.svg Ricardo Zonta Ret1011Ret13
Flag of Italy.svg Jarno Trulli 1112

References

  1. "TF104 & RVX-04 Technical Specifications". toyota-f1.com. Panasonic Toyota Racing. 18 January 2004. Retrieved 18 January 2004.
  2. statsf1.com/en/moteur-toyota.aspx
  3. "Introducing the TF–104, Toyota's F1 Car for the 2004 Season". Toyota Gazoo Racing. 17 January 2004. Retrieved 9 June 2023.
  4. "Toyota grab top F1 designer". BBC. 15 October 2003. Retrieved 9 June 2023.
  5. Wilkins, Robert (20 July 2004). "German GP preview - Toyota Racing". Crash.net. Retrieved 9 June 2023.
  6. ""Toyota Used Stolen Ferrari Data," Says Attorney" Speed Channel. Retrieved 3 December 2004
  7. "Ex-Toyota men face spying charges" BBC Sport. Retrieved 16 January 2006