Red Bull RB4 F1

Red Bull



Just a twenty minute drive from Red Bull Racing’s Milton Keynes headquarters, the sun is shining brightly over a nice dry track at Silverstone Circuit. However, we chose to drive to the southern tip of Europe to launch our 2008 challenger, the RB4, at the Jerez track, where grey skies and rain are the order of the day. Despite the wet track, David Coulthard completed an installation lap early this morning. “It’s great to see a new car come together,” he commented. “Inevitably, a lot of parts were still arriving last night, so when I left for my bed it looked a bit bare, but this morning, there it was in all its glory! It looks super with lots of nice detail on it and given that it did its installation lap and came back to the garage, so far we have achieved all our targets! Now we have to build from there”.



Anxiously watching from the pit wall was team principal, Christian Horner: “It’s always a key moment to see a new car run for the first time,” he said. “And particularly in the case of RB4, that first lap represents a monumental amount of work from the entire workforce. Over the last few weeks, all the departments have made Herculean efforts to get the car ready for this shakedown today”.

Panasonic Toyota TF109

TF109 – or Toyota Formula 1 2009 to give it its full name – is hot property. The first images revealed a stunning production which combines the latest technology with a very human passion to succeed. This potent combination has been working on TF109 since October 2007.

In a departure from recent Panasonic Toyota Racing productions, TF109 takes on a new shape, dictated by the FIA, with wider front wings, narrower rear wings and fewer additional aerodynamic devices the fashion for 2009.

The script may be different but Panasonic Toyota Racing has set its usual high targets for TF109. Chairman and Team Principal Tadashi Yamashina states: "Our target this year is to fight to win the first race for Toyota in Formula 1."

TF109 is the sequel to the successful TF108, which once again established Panasonic Toyota Racing as a major player. TF108`s roll of honour included two podiums, one front row start and, with 56, more points than in 2006 (35pts) and 2007 (13pts) combined. A Toyota was in the top 10 on the starting grid for 14 of the 18 Grands Prix, finishing in the points 12 times, with nine top-six finishes.

President John Howett says: "After eight years in Formula 1 we have gained a huge amount of knowledge and improved considerably. There are many elements of our team which are at the very highest level so the challenge now is to fill any gaps and ensure the entire organisation is performing at the very top. Then we must put all the elements together and deliver the success we are all fighting so hard for."