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Formula
1 is the sport that never sleeps and at Panasonic Toyota Racing's headquarters
in Cologne, Germany, dedicated technical experts are working flat-out around the
clock in the constant search for extra performance.
Whether
it is testing new parts in the wind tunnel, analysing the latest track data to
squeeze more performance out of the TF108 or challenging conventional wisdom on
the drawing board, the quest for improvement never ends.
Several
times a year the team introduces a major revision to its car, as has happened
already in 2008 for the Australian and Spanish Grands Prix, but beyond that
small modifications are made to the car for virtually every race and test, in
line with the Toyota Way concept of kaizen; continuous improvement.
These
aerodynamic improvements may not always be immediately visible - a small tweak
to the angle of a wing flap or a minor change to the shape of a part - but small
steps can make a big difference, while mechanical changes are nearly always
hidden under bodywork.
The
development of the TF108 encompasses a journey across Europe and beyond in the
hunt for the Formula 1 holy grail; a secret weapon to leave the opposition
trailing in your tyre tracks.
Cologne
is the nerve centre of this high-tech, high-intensity operation but a Formula 1
team's reach is far and wide, to include suppliers from three continents and
full test days in six countries in 2008 as well as aerodynamic tests on Menorca
and in Lommel, Belgium. One look at the Panasonic Toyota Racing test team's
activities in 2007 gives an indication of the dedication involved: more than
5,000 laps of official testing over 52 days, with five different drivers at the
wheel.
Everyone
involved is working together with one aim: to succeed in Formula 1. That is no
easy task considering all other teams are working equally hard to catch up or
stay ahead of the competition but, throughout its business, Toyota has shown a
challenging spirit and is constantly seeking innovation, making Formula 1 the
perfect playground.
No stone
is left unturned in this effort because, as Chief Engineer Race and Test Dieter
Gass explains, even the smallest improvement can have a real impact on the final
result: "If you have something in your pocket which improves car performance,
even if it is only a tenth of a second, it is going to be very, very worthwhile
any time in the season. The field is so close together even a tenth or two can
make a very big difference at the end of the race."
But,
after an exhaustive 12-month development process to get a new car from drawing
board to race track for the first tests of the season, where does a team find
these improvements?
With
engine development frozen and a standard ECU, constant improvement in terms of
engine performance is difficult - but not impossible. The opportunities for a
major breakthrough in this area may have reduced dramatically in recent years
but the work does not stop.
Senior
General Manager Engine Luca Marmorini says: "We work hard so our engine
performance improves during the season, even considering the regulations. We
have looked at how we use the engine, concentrating on factors which do not
directly affect lap time but are still a major part of a car's performance over
a race. So we work on improving fuel efficiency for example because, even though
this doesn't bring extra speed, it still has an impact on our overall
result."
Bigger
gains can be made with aerodynamics, with the delicate balance between top
speed, good grip and steady balance always offering room for improvement. The
chassis design team set themselves a highly-confidential target for aerodynamic
efficiency at the start of the season - and then expect to improve significantly
with each new package.
For the
Spanish Grand Prix package, this involved new camera mountings on the side of
the nose as part of a new front wing, as well as a redesigned engine cover and
exhaust outlets, and new rear rim covers. This will be further optimised with
more new parts in Turkey, as part of the ongoing development
programme.
As Team
Manager Richard Cregan explains, this process of continuous improvement is
absolutely essential to remain competitive in Formula 1. "If you're not bringing
something new to every race of the season you're just going to be moving
backwards," he says. "Just trying to stay in the same position in comparison
with the other teams would be very difficult.
"So
every race you need to be putting something new on the car. You need to be
coming with some new ideas, perhaps revolutionary ideas, and whoever is doing
that it the team that is going to be on top."
At
Panasonic Toyota Racing, a thirst for innovation motivates the team's
highly-skilled engineers, who never cease trying to break new ground. Richard
adds: "What you're trying to achieve, in many respects, is to really come up
with something revolutionary. Not purely an evolution of something that exists
because the only way you're going to get out there and win is with something
new. That's how it evolves over the whole season because Formula 1 doesn't stand
still."
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