Iconic F1 team disqualification fears revealed over ‘DRS’ decision

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Iconic F1 team DISQUALIFICATION fears revealed over ‘DRS’ decision

The upgrades could have been worth half a second

Simmey Hannifin Donaldson

Thursday 20 June 2024 08:27 Updated: 16:09

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A former Formula 1 star has revealed how fears over disqualification prevented an iconic brand from bringing game-changing upgrades to their car.

Toyota, a brand with a rich history in motorsport, announced their intention to join the F1 grid in 1999 and in 2002 they did just that, debuting in the sport with a driver pairing of Allan McNish and Mika Salo.

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A Cologne-based team, German driver Ralf Schumacher later joined the outfit, but was replaced by Timo Glock for the 2008 season following his championship win in GP2.

Glock went on to race with the team for two seasons, achieving two podiums in that time before it was announced that they would be leaving the sport at the end of 2009.

The Toyota brand now compete in the FIA WEC

Toyota disqualification fears revealed

According to a recent revelation from Glock, Toyota could have potentially achieved even more success in the sport had they been willing to operate more in the 'grey area'.

"I realised at the end very quickly that the problem at Toyota was not the people,” Glock explained on the Formula For Success podcast. “They were really really good. It was the decision-making process.”

“Decisions having to be done very quickly took us far too long. To decide things like upgrades on the car, which were sort of in the grey area, and then it got stopped by Japan. They had everything to double-check.”

Referencing a game-changing upgrade that could have seen the team trim half a second off their lap time, Glock has revealed that concerns over a potential disqualification led to the Japanese side of the team pulling the plug on a rear wing that worked 'like DRS'.

Timo Glock competed in F1 for the Toyota team

“Remember that one rear wing which was sort of stalling at the right time, sort of a DRS effect. We were running this already in straight-line testing and it was ready to go and it gave us like, half a second, at least.

"They stopped it in Japan because it was just in the grey area and they said ‘no, no we don’t want to be disqualified, we cannot go in that direction’.

“So, you know, things like this just stopped us from making that last step.”

During their eight seasons in F1, Toyota never won a race, but did pick up 13 podium finishes.

The Cologne-based outfit's constructors' finishes ranged from ninth position to fourth, with that best-ever finish coming in 2005 with a driver pairing of Jarno Trulli and Ralf Schumacher.

Lewis Hamilton Ferrari Adrian Newey Ralf Schumacher Toyota Timo Glock