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 However, by the time the season came to a conclusion, both drivers had been replaced by Italy's Jarno Trulli and the team's Brazilian ex-test driver Ricardo Zonta respectively.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

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Olivier Panis</span> French racing driver (born 1966)

Olivier Jean Denis Marie Panis is a French former racing driver. Panis raced in Formula One for ten seasons, earning his first and only win at the 1996 Monaco Grand Prix for the Ligier team. Panis' manager has been Didier Coton.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2004 Malaysian Grand Prix</span> Motor car race

The 2004 Malaysian Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held on 21 March 2004 at the Sepang International Circuit. It was Race 2 of 18 in the 2004 FIA Formula One World Championship. The race was won by Michael Schumacher for Ferrari. This was also the first podium for future World Champion Jenson Button, who finished in 3rd place.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jarno Trulli</span> Italian racing driver (born 1974)

Jarno Trulli is an Italian former racing driver. He regularly competed in Formula One from 1997 to 2011, driving for Minardi, Prost, Jordan, Renault, Toyota, Lotus Racing and Team Lotus. His best result in the World Drivers' Championship (WDC) was sixth place in 2004; this was also the year in which he scored the only win of his Formula One career at the 2004 Monaco Grand Prix.

Panasonic Toyota Racing was a Formula One team owned by the Japanese automobile manufacturer Toyota Motor Corporation and based in Cologne, Germany. Toyota announced their plans to join Formula One in 1999, and after extensive testing with their initial car, dubbed the TF101, the team made their debut in 2002. The new team grew from Toyota's long-standing Toyota Motorsport GmbH organisation, which had previously competed in the World Rally Championship and the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Despite a point in their first-ever race, Toyota never won a Grand Prix, their best finish being second, which they achieved five times.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2003 British Grand Prix</span> Motor car race

The 2003 British Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held on 20 July 2003 at the Silverstone Circuit, Silverstone, Northamptonshire, England. It was the eleventh round of the 2003 Formula One season. The 60-lap race was won by Rubens Barrichello driving for Ferrari after starting from pole position. Juan Pablo Montoya finished second in a Williams car, and Kimi Räikkönen third driving for McLaren.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2004 United States Grand Prix</span> Motor car race

The 2004 United States Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held on June 20, 2004 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana. It was Race 9 of 18 in the 2004 FIA Formula One World Championship.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2004 Hungarian Grand Prix</span> Motor car race

The 2004 Hungarian Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held on 15 August 2004 at the Hungaroring, Mogyoród, Pest, Hungary. It was Race 13 of 18 in the 2004 FIA Formula One World Championship and the 20th Hungarian Grand Prix. The 70-lap race was won from pole position by Michael Schumacher, driving a Ferrari, with teammate Rubens Barrichello second and Fernando Alonso third in a Renault.

The 2004 FIA Formula One World Championship was the 58th season of FIA Formula One motor racing. It was the 55th FIA Formula One World Championship, and was contested over eighteen races from 7 March to 24 October 2004.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2003 Formula One World Championship</span> 57th season of FIA Formula One motor racing

The 2003 FIA Formula One World Championship was the 57th season of FIA Formula One motor racing. It featured the 2003 Formula One World Championship for Drivers and the 2003 Formula One World Championship for Constructors, which were contested concurrently over a sixteen-race series that commenced on 9 March and ended on 12 October.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2005 Formula One World Championship</span> 59th season of FIA Formula One motor racing

The 2005 FIA Formula One World Championship was the 59th season of FIA Formula One motor racing. It featured the 56th FIA Formula One World Championship, contested over a then-record 19 Grands Prix. It commenced on 6 March 2005 and ended 16 October.

Gustav Brunner is an Austrian Formula One designer and engineer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Toyota TF105</span> Formula One car for the 2005 Formula One season

The Toyota TF105/105B was a Formula One car for the 2005 Formula One season. The chassis was designed by Mike Gascoyne and Nicolò Petrucci with the engine being designed by Luca Marmorini. The year was statistically the team's most successful, with 88 points, five podium positions, and the fastest lap. The low-point was the withdrawal of the team from the 2005 United States Grand Prix, due to Michelin tyre safety concerns, as Ralf Schumacher's left front tyre deflated on Indianapolis's famous last corner in Friday practice and Schumacher crashed into the wall and had to be taken to hospital. Ricardo Zonta replaced him, but neither of the Toyotas started the race. The team eventually finished fourth in the Constructors' Championship, their best ever championship placing.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Renault R23</span> Formula One racing car

The Renault R23 was the car with which the Renault team competed in the 2003 Formula One World Championship. It was driven by Italian Jarno Trulli, who was in his second season with the team, and Spaniard Fernando Alonso, who replaced Jenson Button after the Briton left for British American Racing.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Renault R24</span> Formula One racing car

The Renault R24 is a Formula One car that competed in the 2004 Formula One season.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Toyota TF103</span> Formula One car

The Toyota TF103 was the car with which the Toyota F1 team competed in the 2003 Formula One season. The chassis was designed by Gustav Brunner and René Hilhorst with Luca Marmorini designing the engine. Unveiled on January 8, 2003 at the Paul Ricard circuit, its drivers were the Frenchman Olivier Panis and Brazilian Cristiano da Matta, the reigning CART FedEx Championship Series Champion from 2002.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Toyota TF108</span> 2008 Formula One season car

The Toyota TF108 was a Formula One car designed and engineered by Toyota to compete in the 2008 Formula One season. The chassis was designed by Pascal Vasselon, John Litjens and Mark Gillan with the engine being designed by Luca Marmorini and Noritoshi Arai overseeing the entire project. The cars best finish was second in the Hungarian Grand Prix, driven by Timo Glock.

Dino Vittorio Marcellinus Toso was an Italian-Dutch engineer who worked as the Renault Formula One team's Director of Aerodynamics from 2003 until June 2008.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Toyota TF109</span> Formula One Car for 2009 season

The Toyota TF109 was a Formula One racing car engineered by Toyota for the 2009 Formula One season. The chassis was designed by Pascal Vasselon, Mark Tatham and Mark Gillan with the engine being designed by Luca Marmorini and Noritoshi Arai overseeing the entire project. It was revealed online on Toyota's website on 15 January 2009 and made its track debut on 18 January at the Autódromo Algarve. This was the last Formula One car to be developed by Toyota, as after the 2009 Formula One season was completed Toyota Motor Corporation announced their decision to withdraw from Formula One. As far as performance went, the car was extraordinarily inconsistent. It started the season well with three podium finishes in the first four races as it got the jump on rival teams with the "double-decker" diffuser. In the span of only two races however, the TF109 went from locking out the front row in Bahrain to locking out the back row in Monaco. The car from then on was uncompetitive despite a few glimmers of hope in Singapore when Timo Glock finished 2nd and Japan when Jarno Trulli also finished second. The TF109 was the last F1 car to run on Esso fuel along with the Williams FW31 until the McLaren MP4-30 in the 2015 FIA Formula One World Championship, as well as last non-British based F1 car to run on Esso until Toro Rosso STR12 in the 2017 season.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Team Lotus (2010–2011)</span> Former Anglo-Malaysian Formula One constructor

Team Lotus, originally Lotus Racing, was a Malaysian-licensed Formula One racing team and constructor, based in Hingham, Norfolk, UK, which competed during the 2010 and 2011 Formula One seasons. The team scored no championship points in the two years it competed.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lotus T127</span> Racing car model

The Lotus T127 is a Formula One motor racing car designed and built by Lotus Racing for the 2010 season. It was driven by Jarno Trulli and Heikki Kovalainen and was unveiled in London, on 12 February 2010. The car made its track début in the hands of test driver Fairuz Fauzy on 17 February 2010 at Circuito de Jerez.

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