Toyota TF108

Racing car
Car_name = Toyota TF108


Category = Formula One
Constructor = Toyota F1
Designer = flagicon|France Pascal Vasselon
(Senior General Manager Chassis)
flagicon|Japan Noritoshi Arai
(Director Technical Coordination)
flagicon|Italy Luca Marmorini
(Senior General Manager Engine)
Team = Panasonic Toyota Racing
Drivers = 11. flagicon|Italy Jarno Trulli
12. flagicon|Germany Timo Glock
Chassis = Moulded carbon fibre and honeycomb construction monocoque
Front suspension = Carbon fibre double wishbone arrangement, with carbon fibre trackrod and pushrod
Rear suspension = Carbon fibre double wishbone arrangement, with carbon fibre trackrod and pushrod
Brakes = Brembo callipers and master cylinders, Hitco material (carbon/carbon)
Engine name = Toyota RVX-08
Capacity = 2398cc
Configuration = 19,000 RPM Limited
Turbo/NA =
Engine position =
Gearbox name = Toyota/WilliamsF1/Xtrac collaboration
Gears = 7-speed unit plus reverse
Type =
Differential =
Fuel = Esso
Esso Lubricants
Tyres = Bridgestone Potenza
BBS forged magnesium
Electronics = Toyota, Magneti Marelli plus McLaren Electronic Systems ECU (as required by FIA rules)
Debut = 2008 Australian Grand Prix
Races = 15
Wins = 0
Cons_champ =
Drivers_champ =
Poles = 0
Fastest_laps = 0
The Toyota TF108 is the Formula One car with which Toyota competes in the 2008 Formula One season.

Launch

The 2008 Toyota challenger the Toyota TF108 was launched on the 10th of January 2008, at team's factory in Cologne, Germany.cite news| title =Toyota reveals TF108 in Cologne| publisher =f1.gpupdate.net| url =http://f1.gpupdate.net/en/news/2008/01/10/toyota-reveals-tf108-in-cologne/| date =| accessdate =|]

The 2008 season will also see Jarno Trulli retained for the 2008 season, Trulli will be joined by newcomer, but not rookie, Timo Glock as the teams second driver. The Toyota test and reserve driver for the 2008 season will be 21-year-old Japanese driver Kamui Kobayashi.cite news| title =Kobayashi expects to learn a lot| publisher =f1.gpupdate.net| url =http://f1.gpupdate.net/en/news/2008/01/11/kobayashi-expects-to-learn-a-lot/| date =| accessdate =|]

The Toyota team let driver Ralf Schumacher go at the end of the 2007 Formula One season, Schumacher has since signed a contract with Mercedes-Benz for racing in the DTM for their 2008 Season.cite news| title =Ralf Schumacher joins DTM series in 2008| publisher =f1.gpupdate.net| url =http://f1.gpupdate.net/en/news/2008/02/18/ralf-schumacher-joins-dtm-series-in-2008/| date =| accessdate =|]

Technical developments

New concept design

With a new longer wheelbase to aid stability and a totally new aero package that is hoped will give the car great potential. The car is not a evolution of the previous years Toyota TF107 it has been designed from an evolution of the Toyota TF106 but with a promise of "The primary aerodynamic design philosophy for the TF108 is geared towards optimising the entire package" Pascal Vasselon the teams Chassis General Manager said.cite news| title =Longer wheelbase, new aero concept for latest Toyota| publisher =Formula1.com| url =http://www.formula1.com/news/headlines/2008/1/7246.html| date =| accessdate =|]

Rule changes

The car also has the new for 2008 higher headrests around the drivers head and also has the new standard McLaren Electronic Systems ECU that prevents the car having driver aids.

Changes in aerodynamics

Toyota have adopted a McLaren MP4-22-like bridge on the front wing,cite news| title =A brand new bridge wing for Toyota| publisher =f1technical.net| url =http://www.f1technical.net/development/119| date =| accessdate =|] and have also moved the rear view mirrors outboard, like Ferrari and Renault.cite news| title =TF108 follows trend to move mirrors outboard| publisher =f1technical.net| url =http://www.f1technical.net/development/118| date =| accessdate =|] The TF108 has also had a major focus on cleaning the air flow around the front suspension, maximising the zero keel concept of the front suspension.cite news| title =Toyota focus on aerodynamics in suspension| publisher =f1technical.net| url =http://www.f1technical.net/development/117| date =| accessdate =|]

Alternative liveries

*At the 2008 French Grand Prix the car ran with a black stripe along the nosecone, to commemorate the life of former Toyota F1 boss, Ove Andersson, who had died earlier that month.

*At the 2008 British Grand Prix, the car ran with a special "Batman" livery. The team signed a deal with Warner Brothers to promote the new film, "The Dark Knight", which was released on July 25. [cite news|title=Toyota brings Batman to Silversone|url=http://www.itv-f1.com/news_article.aspx?id=43173|publisher=ITV-F1|date=01/07/2008]

2008 season

2008 testing

Timo Glock was fastestcite news| title =Jerez day three - Glock masters the TF108| publisher =Formula1.com| url =http://www.formula1.com/news/headlines/2008/1/7268.html| date =| accessdate =|] in testing at Jerez on the 17th of January, whilst test driver Kamui Kobayashi was 7th fastest on the same day.

Toyota and Ferrari have been the only teams in 2008 to test outside the common test tracks in Spain (Valencia, Jerez and the Circuit de Catalunya), having chosen to test in sunnier conditions in Bahrain from the 4th to the 6th February and 9th until the 11th of February 2008.cite news| title =Only Ferrari and Toyota will travel to Bahrain| publisher =f1.gpupdate.net| url =http://f1.gpupdate.net/en/news/2008/01/22/only-ferrari-and-toyota-will-travel-to-bahrain/| date =| accessdate =|]

Later in the month of February, Toyota, alongside Ferrari, returned to the Circuit de Catalunya to finish off their preparations for the season opener in Melbourne. Toyota rolled out a new aero package,cite news| title =Toyota happy with new aero package| publisher =f1.gpupdate.net| url =http://f1.gpupdate.net/en/news/2008/02/26/toyota-happy-with-new-aero-package/| date =| accessdate =|] with Pascal Vasselon saying that "The new aerodynamics package we brought here is a clear step forward". The very next day, Jarno Trulli completed the day with a time of 1.20.801, fastest overall, Red Bull-Renault driver David Coulthard was second with a time of 01:21.258 on the same day.cite news| title =Trulli fastest on final day of pre-season testing| publisher =f1technical.net| url =http://www.f1technical.net/news/8351| date =| accessdate =|]

Complete Formula One results

() (results in bold indicate pole position)* Season in progress

External links

* [http://www.toyota-f1.com/public/en/f1car/tf108.html TF108 Technical Specifications]

References