Toleman

Toleman

File:Toleman logo.gif
Full name	Toleman Motorsport
Base	Witney, Oxfordshire, UK
Founder(s)	Ted Toleman
Noted staff	Alex Hawkridge Rory Byrne
Noted drivers	Teo Fabi Stefan Johansson Ayrton Senna Derek Warwick
Formula One World Championship career
First entry	1981 San Marino Grand Prix
Races entered	70 (57 starts)
Constructors' Championships	0
Drivers' Championships	0
Race victories	0
Pole positions	1
Fastest laps	2
Final entry	1985 Australian Grand Prix

Toleman Motosport was a Formula One constructor based in the U.K. It was active between 1981 and 1985 and attended 131 Grands Prix.

Origins

In the 1970s, businessman and motorsport fan Ted Toleman began his involvement in various car racing formulae in the U.K. He was also noted for his involvement in off-shore powerboat racing.[1] In 1977, Toleman entered an eponymous team in British Formula Ford 2000. By 1978, he was running a March chassis for Rad Dougall in British Formula Two. During that year, Toleman hired former Royale designer Rory Byrne but continued to use customer chassis in 1979, purchasing a pair of Ralts (RT2s) and engines from Brian Hart. Rad Dougall was joined by Brian Henton in the expanded team. Henton finished second in that year's championship standings.[2]

Formula One

Toleman's entry to Formula One was announced in November 1980. Discussions took place with Lancia over the supply of a turbocharged engine, but the team decided to use a turbocharged version of the Hart F2 engine. By that time, Formula One was beginning to be dominated by turbo-powered cars, leaving the naturally aspirated engines lagging behind.

The Rory Byrne-designed TG181 was an overweight and underpowered car. Brian Henton and Derek Warwick failed to qualify until Henton made the cut for the Italian Grand Prix at Monza in September. Warwick also qualified only once; at the season-closing Las Vegas Grand Prix. In 1982, upgraded TG181s were used by Warwick and newcomer Teo Fabi until the carbon-composite T183 was ready in August. The T183 was used in only two Grands Prix but did allow Warwick to record the first of Toleman's fastest laps in the Dutch GP.

In 1983, the T183 showed improved form thanks to a major update. Derek Warwick was retained, while Teo Fabi was replaced by Bruno Giacomelli. The budget increased as Toleman's current sponsor - white goods manufacturer Candy - was joined by Magirus and BP. Warwick achieved Toleman's first points finish in the Dutch GP and scored again in the remaining three Grands Prix. These results placed Toleman 9th in the constructors' championship standings.

Ayrton Senna's debut

Ayrton Senna's Toleman TG184 car, with which he took second place at the 1984 Monaco Grand Prix.

The driver line-up changed completely in 1984. Warwick's performances were rewarded with a Renault contract and his place was taken by Grand Prix debutant and future three-time World Champion Ayrton Senna, while Giacomelli's drive was taken by Venezuelan F2 driver Johnny Cecotto.

Senna quickly made an impression in Formula One and achieved Toleman's greatest result. In a rain-soaked Monaco GP, he finished in a close 2nd place behind Alain Prost. The torrential conditions forced the clerk of the course (Jacky Ickx) to stop the race after 31 of the scheduled 78 laps. It was a controversial decision that stirred up a conspiracy theory[3] and resulted in much debate about whether Senna would have won. Certainly, he had the pace to do so - he was catching Prost and was within seven seconds of the leading car when the red flag was waved - but passing at Monaco is another matter entirely.

Before the season was over, Senna signed a contract with Lotus while still legally bound to Toleman. In response, Toleman suspended him for the Italian GP and his place was taken by Stefan Johansson. During practice for the British GP, Cecotto crashed heavily and broke both legs. Toleman opted to run only one entry for Senna at Hockenheim, the Österreichring and Zandvoort. The second car returned at Monza with Pierluigi Martini standing in for the injured Cecotto, but he failed to qualify. In Senna's car, Johansson qualified 17th fastest and finished in 4th place. When Senna returned after his "penalty", he and Johansson finished the season together.

Tyre supply problems

During the off-season, Toleman ran into difficulties over tyre supply and was only able to compete in 1985 after Spirit folded, allowing Toleman to take over its Pirelli tyre supply. The roots of this situation lay in Toleman's decision to abandon Pirelli after the 1984 San Marino GP in response to Michelin and Goodyear's performance advantage. Toleman had already aggrevated Goodyear with the same behaviour (that time in favour of Pirelli) in Formula Two, so Michelin was the only alternative. Michelin subsequently announced its withdrawal from F1 effective at the end of 1984, leaving Toleman with bridges to mend.[4]

As a result, it missed the first three Grands Prix and returned initially with only one entry. Johansson was to be retained with John Watson driving the second car, but the tyre supply issues prompted Johansson to drive for Tyrrell before replacing Rene Arnoux at Ferrari. The sole remaining entry was taken by returnee Teo Fabi until an increased budget allowed a second car at the Österreichring for former Osella driver Piercarlo Ghinzani.

That year's T185 was the first carbon monocoque to be fabricated in-house at the Witney factory.[5]

Change of ownership

In May 1985, Toleman acquired major sponsorship from the Benetton clothing company, which had previously sponsored Tyrrell and Alfa Romeo. During the 1985/86 off-season, the knitwear firm purchased the team and it was renamed Benetton Formula prior to the 1986 season. It competed in this guise until it was eventually purchased by Renault and renamed Renault F1.

Complete Formula One results

All chassis powered by versions of the Hart '415T' 1.5Ltr turbocharged 4-cylinder.

Year	Chassis	Tyres	Drivers	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	Points	WCC
1981	TG181	P		USW	BRA	ARG	RSM	BEL	MON	ESP	FRA	GBR	GER	AUT	NED	ITA	CAN	LVS		0	NC
			B. Henton				DNQ	DNQ	DNQ	DNQ	DNQ	DNQ	DNQ	DNQ	DNQ	10	DNQ	DNQ
			D. Warwick				DNQ	DNQ	DNQ	DNQ	DNQ	DNQ	DNQ	DNQ	DNQ	DNQ	DNQ	Ret
1982	TG181C	P		RSA	BRA	USW	RSM	BEL	MON	USE	CAN	NED	GBR	FRA	GER	AUT	SUI	ITA	LVS	0	NC
			D. Warwick	Ret	DNQ	DNQ	Ret	Ret	DNQ			Ret	Ret	15	10	Ret	Ret	Ret	Ret
			T. Fabi	DNQ	DNQ	DNQ	NC	Ret	DNQ			DNQ	Ret	Ret	DNQ	Ret	Ret	Ret	DNQ
1983	TG183 TG183B	P		BRA	USW	FRA	RSM	MON	BEL	USE	CAN	GBR	GER	AUT	NED	ITA	EUR	RSA		10	9th
			D. Warwick	8	Ret	Ret	Ret	Ret	7	Ret	Ret	Ret	Ret	Ret	4	6	5	4
			B. Giacomelli	Ret	Ret	13	Ret	DNQ	8	9	Ret	Ret	Ret	Ret	13	7	6	Ret
1984	TG183B TG184	P M		BRA	RSA	BEL	RSM	FRA	MON	CAN	USE	USA	GBR	GER	AUT	NED	ITA	EUR	POR	16	7th
			A. Senna	Ret	6	6	DNQ	Ret	2	7	Ret	Ret	3	Ret	Ret	Ret		Ret	3
			J. Cecotto	Ret	Ret	Ret	NC	Ret	Ret	9	Ret	Ret	DNQ
			S. Johansson														4	Ret	11
			P. Martini														DNQ
1985	TG185	P		BRA	POR	RSM	MON	CAN	USE	FRA	GBR	GER	AUT	NED	ITA	BEL	EUR	RSA	AUS	0	NC
			T. Fabi				Ret	Ret	Ret	14	Ret	Ret	Ret	Ret	12	Ret	Ret	Ret	Ret
			P. Ghinzani										DNS	Ret	DNS	Ret	Ret	Ret	Ret

Resources

MCZ.com Grandprix.com Forix.autosport.com