Toyota TF103
Encyclopedia
The Toyota TF103 was the Gustav Brunner designed machine with which the Toyota F1
team competed in the 2003 Formula One season
. Unveiled on January 8, 2003 at the Paul Ricard
circuit, its drivers were the Frenchman Olivier Panis
and Brazilian Cristiano da Matta
, the reigning CART FedEx Championship Series Champion from 2002.
. Lighter and with more downforce, the car was a joint effort between Gustav Brunner's design team and Keizo Takahashi, chief of Technical co-ordination.
The biggest improvement over the TF102 came with the engine, the RVX-03 had been tested for the first time in September 2002 and offered the team benefits twofold over the RVX-02; it was lighter, and provided more power. The engine was the brainchild of Italian designer Luca Marmorini
.
for the British Grand Prix
when both cars ran 1-2 for a time amidst the confusion brought about by a track invader
on the 11th lap.
In the constructors standings, Toyota finished in eighth, still some way off the performance their massive budget should have allowed, but equally too, it was a notable improvement on their 2002 finish.
Toyota F1
Panasonic Toyota Racing was a Formula One team owned by Japanese car manufacturer Toyota and based in Cologne, Germany. Toyota announced their plans to participate in F1 in 1999, and after extensive testing with their initial car, dubbed the TF101, the team made their debut in 2002...
team competed in the 2003 Formula One season
2003 Formula One season
The 2003 Formula One season was the 54th season of FIA Formula One motor racing. It featured the 2003 FIA Formula One World Championship, which commenced on March 9, 2003 and ended on October 12 after sixteen races...
. Unveiled on January 8, 2003 at the Paul Ricard
Circuit Paul Ricard
The Paul Ricard Circuit is a motorsport race track built at Le Castellet, near Marseille, France, in 1969 with finance from the eccentric drinks magnate Paul Ricard, who created what essentially became Pernod Ricard...
circuit, its drivers were the Frenchman Olivier Panis
Olivier Panis
Olivier Panis is a French racing driver. Panis is best known in F1 not only as a test driver for the McLaren team but for his win at the eventful Monaco Grand Prix in 1996 for the Ligier team after starting 14th...
and Brazilian Cristiano da Matta
Cristiano da Matta
Cristiano Monteiro da Matta is an auto racing driver, winner of the American CART Championship in 2002, and former Formula One driver with the Toyota team.-Origins and early career:...
, the reigning CART FedEx Championship Series Champion from 2002.
Development
The TF103 was quite a conservative design, by the team's admission it was more of a 'logical evolution' from its predecessor the TF102Toyota TF102
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 Gustav Brunner and Dago Rohrer...
. Lighter and with more downforce, the car was a joint effort between Gustav Brunner's design team and Keizo Takahashi, chief of Technical co-ordination.
The biggest improvement over the TF102 came with the engine, the RVX-03 had been tested for the first time in September 2002 and offered the team benefits twofold over the RVX-02; it was lighter, and provided more power. The engine was the brainchild of Italian designer Luca Marmorini
Luca Marmorini
Luca Marmorini is the head of the engine and electronics department at the Ferrari Formula One team.Marmorini started his Formula One career with Ferrari in , which he joined after completing a mechanical doctorate. He stayed with Ferrari until , when he joined Toyota as it prepared to enter...
.
Performance
The TF103 stepped up a level in terms of performance too, with the car scoring a total of sixteen points between its drivers, da Matta outscoring Panis 10-6. Perhaps the most notable race involving the TF103 was at SilverstoneSilverstone Circuit
Silverstone Circuit is an English motor racing circuit next to the Northamptonshire villages of Silverstone and Whittlebury. The circuit straddles the Northamptonshire and Buckinghamshire border, with the current main circuit entry on the Buckinghamshire side...
for the British Grand Prix
2003 British Grand Prix
The 2003 British Grand Prix was a Formula One race held on 20 July 2003 at the Silverstone Circuit.It was won by polesitter Rubens Barrichello but is probably most well known for a track invasion by the defrocked priest Neil Horan, who ran along Hangar straight, running opposite to the...
when both cars ran 1-2 for a time amidst the confusion brought about by a track invader
Neil Horan
Cornelius "Neil" Horan, sometimes referred to as The Grand Prix Priest or The Dancing Priest , is a laicized Irish Roman Catholic clergyman who is noted for his interference with the running of the 2003 British Grand Prix and the 2004 Summer Olympics men's marathon in order to promote his religious...
on the 11th lap.
In the constructors standings, Toyota finished in eighth, still some way off the performance their massive budget should have allowed, but equally too, it was a notable improvement on their 2002 finish.
Complete Formula One results
(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 | Points | WCC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 2003 Formula One season The 2003 Formula One season was the 54th season of FIA Formula One motor racing. It featured the 2003 FIA Formula One World Championship, which commenced on March 9, 2003 and ended on October 12 after sixteen races... |
TF103 Toyota V10 V10 engine A V10 engine is a V engine with 10 cylinders in two banks of five with a distinct exhaust note.- Mechanics :The V10 is essentially the result of mating two even-firing straight-5 engines together. The straight-5 engine shows first and second order rocking motion... |
AUS 2003 Australian Grand Prix The 2003 Australian Grand Prix was a Formula One race held on 9 March 2003 at the Melbourne Grand Prix Circuit.There was a lot of speculation about how the new set of rules that debuted in this race would affect Ferrari, which were the ones to cause the changes after their dominant 2002 season.... |
MAL 2003 Malaysian Grand Prix The 2003 Petronas Malaysian Grand Prix was a Formula One race held on March 23, 2003 at the Sepang International Circuit. It was the second race of the 2003 Formula One season, and it was won by Kimi Räikkönen driving the MP4-17 for McLaren-Mercedes. This was Räikkönen's first Formula One Grand... |
BRA 2003 Brazilian Grand Prix The 2003 Brazilian Grand Prix was a Formula One race held on April 6, 2003 at Autódromo José Carlos Pace . This was the 700th World Championship event.... |
SMR 2003 San Marino Grand Prix The 2003 San Marino Grand Prix was a Formula One race held on April 20, 2003 at the Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari.__FORCETOC__- Saturday Qualifying :- Race Result :- Notes :... |
ESP 2003 Spanish Grand Prix The 2003 Spanish Grand Prix was a Formula One race held on 4 May 2003 at the Circuit de Catalunya in Barcelona, Spain.__FORCETOC__- Saturday Qualifying :- Race Result :- Notes :*This was the first double retirement of the season for McLaren.... |
AUT | MON | CAN | EUR | FRA 2003 French Grand Prix The 2003 French Grand Prix was a Formula One race held on July 6, 2003 at the Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours.__FORCETOC__- Classification :- Notes :*Fastest Lap: Juan Pablo Montoya 1:15.512... |
GBR 2003 British Grand Prix The 2003 British Grand Prix was a Formula One race held on 20 July 2003 at the Silverstone Circuit.It was won by polesitter Rubens Barrichello but is probably most well known for a track invasion by the defrocked priest Neil Horan, who ran along Hangar straight, running opposite to the... |
GER | HUN 2003 Hungarian Grand Prix The 2003 Hungarian Grand Prix was a Formula One race held on August 24, 2003 at the Hungaroring. It was won by Renault's Fernando Alonso from pole, becoming at the time the youngest ever driver to win a Grand Prix, beating the previous record of Bruce McLaren... |
ITA 2003 Italian Grand Prix The 2003 Italian Grand Prix was a Formula One race held on September 14, 2003 at the Autodromo Nazionale Monza.- Classification :- Notes :*Fastest Lap: Michael Schumacher 1.21.832... |
USA 2003 United States Grand Prix The 2003 United States Grand Prix was a Formula One race held on September 28, 2003 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.__FORCETOC__-Summary:... |
JPN 2003 Japanese Grand Prix The 2003 Japanese Grand Prix was a Formula One race held on October 12, 2003 at the Suzuka Circuit.At this race Michael Schumacher won his 6th World Championship, breaking Juan Manuel Fangio's record set in the 1950s... |
16 | 8th | |
 PanisOlivier Panis Olivier Panis is a French racing driver. Panis is best known in F1 not only as a test driver for the McLaren team but for his win at the eventful Monaco Grand Prix in 1996 for the Ligier team after starting 14th... |
Ret | Ret | Ret | 9 | Ret | Ret | 13 | 8 | Ret | 8 | 11 | 5 | Ret | Ret | Ret | 10 | ||||
 da MattaCristiano da Matta Cristiano Monteiro da Matta is an auto racing driver, winner of the American CART Championship in 2002, and former Formula One driver with the Toyota team.-Origins and early career:... |
Ret | 11 | 10 | 12 | 6 | 10 | 9 | 11 | Ret | 11 | 7 | 6 | 11 | Ret | 9 | 7 |