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AT Panasonic Toyota Racing’s headquarters in
Cologne, Germany, technical experts are working flat-out around the
clock in the constant search for extra performance. Whether it is
testing new parts in the wind tunnel, analyzing the latest track
data to squeeze more performance out of the TF108, or challenging
conventional wisdom on the drawing board, the quest for improvement
never ends.
Several times a year the team
introduces a major revision to its car, as it did for this year’s
Australian and Spanish Grands Prix. Besides that, small
modifications are made to the car in almost every race and test,
which is in line with the Toyota Way concept of kaizen—or
continuous improvement.
Cologne is the nerve center of
this high-tech, high-intensity operation. But a Formula 1 team’s
reach is far and wide and includes suppliers from three continents
and full test days in six countries in 2008, as well as aerodynamic
tests in Lommel, Belgium. One look at the Toyota Racing test
team’s activities in 2007 gives an indication of the dedication
involved: More than 5,000 laps of official testing over 52 days,
with five different drivers at the wheel.
Team Manager Richard Cregan
explained this process of continuous improvement is absolutely
essential to remain competitive in Formula 1.
“If you’re not bringing
something new to every race of the season you’re just going to be
moving backwards,” he said. “Just trying to stay in the same
position in comparison with the other teams is very difficult.
“So every race you need to be
putting something new on the car. You need to be coming with some
new ideas, perhaps revolutionary ideas, and whoever is doing that is
the team that’s going to be on top,” Cregab said.
At Panasonic Toyota Racing, a
thirst for innovation motivates the team’s engineers, who never
cease trying to break new ground.
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