Toyota TF107

[f1.redbaron]

I know that most of you will cringe (and laugh) when I tell you that there is a good 130MB video of TF107 that you can download, but nevetheless, here it is:

http://www.motorsportmediamulti.com/yos ... tion07.avi

BTW, there are some parts where you can see the car up-close...really up-close. You can also see the footage of it running around the track.

Again, it is a 130MB file!

[scarbs]

scarbs, does engine move forward sound like it trnaslates into a smaller fuel tank to you?
one could come to the conclusion that the new Bridgey tyres are not as appropriate to a single stop strategy as we may have thought?

Zac,
The fuel tank is no different in size, it has been pushed out wider to retain the same capacity.

Scarbs

[scarbs]

Scarbs, you're most likely to know this one, on your pic http://scarbsf1.com/php_gallery/main.ph ... alNumber=2 what is that black carbon fibre element sticking upwards out the top? I remeber seeing a small strut in the middle of the rear wing on last years car but I thought they'd abolished it mid season.

Also have Reault not been bolting the rear suspension to the gearbox for over a year now? Could that be why Toyota are doing it?

The small pyramid fairing is just an aero part, Pascal told me it works well but you need to see the flows in CFD to understand how it works.

As far as suspension bolting to the gearbox most teams do this. Toyota bolted the front end of the wishbones to it last year as the TF106 geabrox was short, now its longer they cant do it. I dont think sits a case of following what other teams have done.

[joseff]

http://www.f1-live.com/f1/en/headlines/ ... 3902.shtml

Referring to the lacklustre form of the Japanese giant's TF107 contender in winter testing, the German said: "We have had a catastrophic preparation for this season."

Schumacher, 31, is referring to the fact that, alongside Red Bull, Toyota's Melbourne pace is likely to be quicker only than backmarkers Super Aguri, Toro Rosso and Spyker.

[f1.redbaron]

I've read the same thing, and here is what I don't understand...just a few weeks ago (about half-way through the testing season), he said that the was very happy with the car, and that Toyota might be the surprise of the season, right along with BMW.

Now this? What happened at Toyota during the last few weeks?

[joseff]

Ralf's latest paycheck bounced

[checkered]

The TF107 is one of the

more intriguing concepts of the season, no matter how they fare with it. The design is quite short compared to most other teams' chosen dimensions (overall length, not wheelbase), they didn't compensate for the toughened survival cell/crash test standards by extending the nose farther from the front wheel centre line. This might also account for the slightly different attachment to the car body of the revised (and fashionable) nose-to-endplate airfoil.

The overall length of the design is mainly determined by the forward of the front wheel centre line dimension. If the airfoil is positioned in a comparable distance from the rest of the bodywork as in the other teams' solutions the wings will connect with the nose in a different area and could require a structurally and aerodynamically different approach.

Of course this is mere speculation on my part. Certainly if they do well (mind games are part and parcel of F1) and become contenders, it certainly would qualify as a major upset. Toyota using up their testing quota in Jerez before the season has even started doesn't bode well with that scenario - but stranger things have happened than a team suddenly getting to terms with their design.

I also vaguely remember reading that Gary Anderson was less than impressed with Toyota's front suspension, along the lines of "they won't get anywhere with that". I guess it was in a recent feature on Crash.net, but my recollection might be wide off the mark here since after some persistent efforts I couldn't re-locate the article/feature/online radio content.

My first impression of the TF107 front suspension (from mere launch photos, that is) certainly was that it seemed like a bit of a jumble. And it wasn't immediately clear for me how some suspension members could comply with the symmetry rules with all those bends, but of course I haven't been in a position to (nor would the folks at Toyota be too happy about letting me) take a ruler and a sketch pad to their car and figure it all out by myself ...

[f1.redbaron]

False alarm. Everything is OK with Toyota. They finished 1st and 2nd today at Jerez:

http://f1.gpupdate.net/en/testresults.php?testID=733

[dumrick]

False alarm. Everything is OK with Toyota. They finished 1st and 2nd today at Jerez:

http://f1.gpupdate.net/en/testresults.php?testID=733

Definately, the tides are turning.

[f1.redbaron]

But, all jokes aside, Jarno did post a 19.710 which is the 4th fastest time during this testing season at Jerez.

So, I'm still keeping my fingers crossed.

[f1.redbaron]

About this article:

http://www.f1technical.net/news/5092

----------

Great news, especially since they're not gonna win racing these things:







Why do I make fun of my team?

[Tom]

They admitted that Williams might beat them!?!

Some serious PR communications problems there, usually saying something as negative as that translates to 'We expect to be overtaken by a couple of Forti!'

[f1.redbaron]

No, they didn't.

Another news source, stated that Bill Gibson said that "one" team will be bringing in their updates a little later than usual. He refused to say which one. However, because Toyota was testing in Jerez last week, it is very likely that it's them.

Also, Bill Gibson is a director at one of the freight companies, so and has really, nothing to do with racing - just the logistics.

[m3_lover]

The local newspaper Herald Sun quoted Bill Gibson as suggesting that the Cologne based outfit, perhaps the best funded in the entire sport, is worried about being embarrassed by customer team Williams in Sunday's season opening race.

I have heard that the new parts wont be in until saturday morning and that even toyota personnel are carrying some parts in there hand luggage.

[checkered]

Not a bad quali

for Toyota ... considering the near-consensus of dismal expectations before the season. Apparently the "late" additions flown in from Cologne actually worked. And the more I look at the short nose and how the front wing relates to it, the more I like it - very clean, especially for Toyota with their design history awash with winglets and all.

For a while there I certainly thought that they had gone overboard with the additions as Trulli dragged something extra along the pit lane. Well, everyone has the right to be a "jackass" once in a while ... . No offence to Jarno, who really is a nice guy. Just couldn't resist the wordplay as it presented itself so graphically.