26 September 2001: ‘One of the most spectacular days in Irish motoring’ is how Dr Tim Mahony, founder and chairman of Toyota Ireland, described the first public viewing outside the Frankfurt Motor Show of the Toyota Formula 1 works car. The event was held in Toyota’s Ballsbridge Motor Centre in Dublin.

“The car hasn’t been allowed outside the works in any other country in Europe and we are the first Toyota dealership to get it,” said Dr Mahony (pictured left with Denis Smith, managing director of Kileen Holdings, the umbrella company for Toyota Ireland), adding wryly that Toyota Ireland does ‘have a habit of collecting ‘firsts’’.

The car was on public display last night and today, and among the Toyota Formula 1 team at the launch in Dublin were programme general manager Richard Cregan, originally a Dublin northsider, and Scots test driver Allan McNish, who will pilot the car in its first season on the track next year with his Finnish co-driver Mika Salo.

When they begin duelling in earnest at the Melbourne Grand Prix next March, Toyota will be the only other full works team alongside Ferrari on the grid, producing both their complete car and their own engines. Richard Cregan (right) told yesterday’s audience of national and international media that some 300 engines will be available next year for the challenge. he also said it was timely that Toyota should be competing in the event.

“The important youth market is particularly attracted to Formula 1, and it is timely that we are producing more image-conscious cars,” he said.

Project communications director Peter Ball said there is strong image enhancement to be gained from the ‘glamour of Formula 1’, in addition to the technological advances which can be brought back to the company’s roadgoing cars. “This will help us to bring better cars to the marketplace,” he said.

The car is being produced in Cologne, Germany, in a 30,000 sq m facility and the project employs over 300 people from 29 countries - “we are the united nations of Formula 1,” Ball quipped.

The car has been undergoing extensive testing on a number of the tracks on the Formula 1 circuit. An updated version will be unveiled next January, which Allan McNish (right) says 'will be much better'.

Richard Cregan outlined the team’s expectations between next March and 2006, when the team hopes to make a full challenge for the world championship. “In 2002 we will concentrate on qualifying and finishing races,” he said. “In 2003 we expect to finish in mid-field and gain our first point, while in 2004 we should be gaining regular points and the team’s first podium place. In 2005 we should be gaining regular podium places.”

Asked if this was too conservative a time frame, Cregan said that an analysis of any of the recent championship winners showed that it took at least that time to achieve their ultimate goal. He was coy about the budget allocated to the project, but said ‘we have enough to do a good job’. And he pointed out that Toyota has ‘been successful in every other project’ it set out to do.

The team is working closely with Irishman Martin Birrane’s Lola cars at the moment, another Irish connection. Among Birrane’s interests is Mondello Park in Co Kildare, Ireland’s only dedicated racing circuit.

And getting the car to Ireland before any other European dealership? “About 18 months’ work from a conversation I had by just fortunately being in the right place at the right time,” Toyota Ireland’s Mark O’Connell told irishcar.com yesterday.

The skill is being in the right place at the right time. It’s how you overtake the rest and stay ahead, both on and off the track. BB/TW