Toyota's F1 Program

[4wheeldrift]

Just stumbled across the website for Toyota's F1 program rather by accident. Check it out: http://www.toyota-f1.com/public/index.html

[GTS Jeff]

hmm. my toyota sometimes idles at 3500. does that count?

[treg50]

... I can't wait for them to join.... and then get up to speed... and then be competitive. :rolleyes:

I hope Toyota is successful sooner, rather than later, although we shouldn't expect too much from them in their first year. I hope they prove me wrong because watching F1 racing has been sooo boring the past couple years. The first few laps are the most interesting part, the winner is usually way ahead and is uncontested... that's not entertaining. I hate NASCAR so I'm not about to watch that stuff.

Now Touring Car, is another story....

:thumbsup:

[MrHeavyFoot]

Originally posted by treg50
... I can't wait for them to join.... and then get up to speed... and then be competitive. :rolleyes:


Ummm..... they just finished their first seaon. Not terribly successful, but not a total wash either. I think they even picked up a championship point or two.

[treg50]

Originally posted by MrHeavyFoot


Ummm..... they just finished their first seaon. Not terribly successful, but not a total wash either. I think they even picked up a championship point or two.

Ummmm... LOL

Well just proves how boring I found this season to be and how little I watched. I didn't even remember seeing them in it, quite a few DNFs and finshing well back will do that!

Good catch, though. If I remember now, Salo got 6th in Melbourne and again 6th in Sao Paolo. Toyota was tied for last with Arrows and Minardi.

[GTS Jeff]

one of the things that kinda irks me is how toyota is only going into these sorts of things only for marketing

[MrHeavyFoot]

Originally posted by Jeff TYPE R
one of the things that kinda irks me is how toyota is only going into these sorts of things only for marketing

I don't think that's any different from any manufacturer in any motorsport. I'm sure the people that work in TRD or any manufacturer's racing division do it because they love it, but the corporate perspective is always based on the bottom line. Ferrari may love to compete, but if they didn't think it would help them sell more cars, I don't think they'd be involved. Perhaps Toyota is just more obvious (or perceived to be more obvious) about their motivation for being involved.

[Redlyne_mr2]

Marketing strategies, advertising whatever you want to call it, in the end its all about bragging rights. I find it pretty remarkeable that toyota was able to capture a few points in its first season. They also produce one of the most advanced and powerful cars on the circuit and every component on the car right down to the bolts and screws is made by Toyota. I think that they have a pretty bright future ahead of themselves.

[4wheeldrift]

Originally posted by Jeff TYPE R
one of the things that kinda irks me is how toyota is only going into these sorts of things only for marketing EVERY manufacturer is in it for marketing. F1 is about the only form of motorsports that is pure marketing and brand identity alone though. Most other forms are in it for Win on Sunday, Sell on Monday.

[GTS Jeff]

Originally posted by 4wheeldrift
EVERY manufacturer is in it for marketing. F1 is about the only form of motorsports that is pure marketing and brand identity alone though. Most other forms are in it for Win on Sunday, Sell on Monday. some manufacturers use it as a way to test technologies.

[4wheeldrift]

Originally posted by Jeff TYPE R
some manufacturers use it as a way to test technologies. And those technologies end up where? On the street, where you can buy a car using the same tech as the rally car, or the BTCC machine, or the F1 car. And thus we end up back at the juggernaut of business, marketing. Lets face it, almost all of the developments for automobiles are as much for marketing as they are for safety or anything else. Anything to get people into the dealerships.

[treg50]

This is trying to sound like a "which was first: the chicken or the egg" discussion. BUT this is nothing like that at all. With the auto industry, the 'product' (ie. the technology) has to be there first before they can market it. Car makers don't make developments for the sake of marketing. They make developments to improve their product and make it better than their competitor's product.

No car maker is in racing JUST for marketing. That doesn't make sense. If a car maker knew they would finish last OR behind a competitor... WHY would they "market" that fact? Subaru finished behind than Peugeot and Ford in the 2002 WRC season. What kind of "marketing" is that? "We are Subaru, 3rd best. Peugeot and Ford are better than us. The 206 and Focus are better than our WRX." IF they were in it purely for marketing they messed up bigtime. Therefore, being in racing just for marketing is not accurate. If it were accurate, why would anyone walk into a Subaru dealership? Peugeot and Ford are better, as shown by their performance in WRC.

IF Toyota were in it soley for marketing, whether they're new to F1 or not, they finished last in 2002 = that is not good marketing. The average car buyer would look at that and think "hmm, Toyota's must not be a good car to buy in 2002, but Honda, BMW, an Mercedes did better."

When it comes to the auto industry advancements in technology and providing those technologies in cars for a good price are what gets a manufacturer acknowledgement and success. Marketing and getting people into the dealership means nothing if the car/technology isn't there OR isn't worth it. Marketing is just one of several reasons why car makers enter into racing --- it is not the be all and end all of getting into racing.
:)