Allan McNish's TF102 on display at the 2010 Toyota Motorsport Festival | |||||||||
| Category | Formula One | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Constructor | Toyota | ||||||||
| Designer(s) |
| ||||||||
| Predecessor | TF101 (never raced) | ||||||||
| Successor | TF103 | ||||||||
| Technical specifications | |||||||||
| Chassis | carbon-fibre and honeycomb composite monocoque | ||||||||
| Suspension (front) | Push rod with Torsion bar | ||||||||
| Suspension (rear) | Push rod with Torsion bar | ||||||||
| Length | 4,620 mm (181.9 in) [1] | ||||||||
| Axle track | 3,120 mm (122.8 in) | ||||||||
| Wheelbase | 1,450 mm (57.1 in) | ||||||||
| Engine | Toyota RVX-02 3.0-litre 72-degree V10 naturally-aspirated mid-engined | ||||||||
| Transmission | 6-speed semi-automatic limited slip differential | ||||||||
| Power | 625 kW (835 hp) at 18,200 rpm [2] | ||||||||
| Weight | 600 kg (1,322.8 lb) | ||||||||
| Fuel | Esso | ||||||||
| Tyres | Michelin | ||||||||
| Competition history | |||||||||
| Notable entrants | Panasonic Toyota Racing | ||||||||
| Notable drivers |
| ||||||||
| Debut | 2002 Australian Grand Prix | ||||||||
| Last event | 2002 Japanese Grand Prix | ||||||||
| |||||||||
| Constructors' Championships | 0 | ||||||||
| Drivers' Championships | 0 | ||||||||
The Toyota TF102 was the car with which the Toyota team competed in the 2002 Formula One season, the team's inaugural Championship campaign. The car reflected the results of a year's testing in 2001 with the TF101, and was designed primarily by Dago Rohrer, Gustav Brunner and René Hilhorst. The engine was designed by Luca Marmorini. As with the TF101, it was piloted during the season by Mika Salo and Allan McNish.
Development
The car had a much more conventional look in the aerodynamic sense than the test car did, something that was commented on by Brunner at its launch in November 2001: "The car tested during 2001 showed the results we wanted. This new model reflects the latest technology, and has a much more conventional setup than the test car." [3]
The car sported a different paint livery than the one seen on the test car, with a more abstract red and white design taking over from the contoured lines of the previous model.
Performance
At the opening race of the 2002 season in Melbourne, Salo came home sixth to give the team a point on its Formula One début. The Finn added a second point two races later, in Brazil. [4]
McNish, meanwhile, was on course for a point of his own in Malaysia, but a pit-lane mistake by the team meant he finished seventh. [5] During qualifying for the final race of the season, at Suzuka, he wrote off a chassis completely when he crashed at the super-quick 130R corner, also tearing a hole in the Armco barrier. However, he sustained no serious injury, which paid testament to the safety of the TF102. [6]
The two points put Toyota tenth in the Constructors' Championship, behind Minardi on count-back ( Mark Webber had finished fifth in Australia) but ahead of the financially troubled Arrows. [7]
Team principal Ove Andersson had warned at the beginning of the season that it would be very much a "learning year" and overall the car's performance was received with optimism due to its sturdy reliability. [8]
Complete Formula One results
( key) (results in bold indicate pole position)
| Year | Chassis/Engine Tyres |
Drivers | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | Points | WCC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | TF102 Toyota V10 M |
AUS | MAL | BRA | SMR | ESP | AUT | MON | CAN | EUR | GBR | FRA | GER | HUN | BEL | ITA | USA | JPN | 2 | 10th | |
Mika Salo
|
6 | 12 | 6 | Ret | 9 | 8 | Ret | Ret | Ret | Ret | Ret | 9 | 15 | 7 | 11 | 14 | 8 | ||||
Allan McNish
|
Ret | 7 | Ret | Ret | 8 | 9 | Ret | Ret | 14 | Ret | 11† | Ret | 14 | 9 | Ret | 15 | DNS |
References
- ^ "Panasonic Toyota F1 Spearheads Motor Sport Challenge" (PDF) (Press release). UK: Toyota. 12 September 2011. Retrieved 28 September 2013.
- ^ "Toyota". Stats F1. Retrieved 16 December 2023.
- ^ "TF102". Toyota Gazoo Racing. 17 December 2001. Retrieved 7 June 2023.
- ^ Elizalde, Pablo. "The 2002 Australian GP Review". Atlas F1. Spain. Retrieved 9 June 2023 – via Autosport.
- ^ Elizalde, Pablo. "The 2002 Malaysian GP Review". Atlas F1. Spain. Retrieved 9 June 2023 – via Autosport.
- ^ "McNish escapes shunt with bruising". Crash.net. 12 October 2002. Retrieved 9 June 2023.
- ^ "2002 Constuctor Standings". Formula 1. Retrieved 9 June 2023.
- ^ "Toyota Racing unveils 2002 Formula One TF102". Motorsport.com. 19 October 2001. Retrieved 9 June 2023.
