Category Formula One Predecessor TF107 | Constructor Toyota F1 Successor TF109 | |
 | ||
Designer(s) Pascal Vasselon
(Senior General Manager Chassis)
Noritoshi Arai
(Director Technical Coordination)
Luca Marmorini
(Senior General Manager Engine) Chassis Moulded carbon fibre and honeycomb construction monocoque | ||
The Toyota TF108 was a Formula One car with which Toyota competed in the 2008 Formula One season.
Contents
Launch
The 2008 Toyota challenger the Toyota TF108 was launched on 10 January 2008, at the team's factory in Cologne, Germany.
The 2008 season saw Jarno Trulli retained for the 2008 season, Trulli was joined by newcomer, but not rookie, Timo Glock as the team's second driver. The Toyota test and reserve driver for the 2008 season was Japanese driver Kamui Kobayashi.
The Toyota team let driver Ralf Schumacher go at the end of the 2007 Formula One season, Schumacher then signed a contract with Mercedes-Benz in the DTM for the 2008 season.
New concept design
With a new longer wheelbase to aid stability and a totally new aero package that had hoped to give the car great potential. The car was not an evolution of the previous years Toyota TF107- it had been designed from an evolution of the Toyota TF106, but with a promise of "The primary aerodynamic design philosophy for the TF108 is geared towards optimising the entire package" Pascal Vasselon, the team's chassis General Manager said.
Rule changes
The car also had the new for 2008 higher headrests around the drivers head and also had the new standard McLaren Electronic Systems ECU that prevented the car having driver aids.
Changes in aerodynamics
Toyota had adopted a McLaren MP4-22-like bridge on the front wing, and have also moved the rear view mirrors outboard, like Ferrari and Renault. The TF108 had also had a major focus on cleaning the air flow around the front suspension, maximising the zero keel concept of the front suspension.
Alternative liveries
2008 testing
Timo Glock was fastest in testing at Jerez on 17 January, whilst test driver Kamui Kobayashi was 7th fastest on the same day.
Toyota and Ferrari had been the only teams in 2008 to test outside the common test tracks in Spain (Valencia, Jerez and the Circuit de Catalunya), having chosen to test in sunnier conditions in Bahrain from the 4th to 6 February and 9th until 11 February 2008.
Later in the month of February, Toyota, alongside Ferrari, returned to the Circuit de Catalunya to finish off their preparations for the season opener in Melbourne. Toyota rolled out a new aero package, with Pascal Vasselon saying that "The new aerodynamics package we brought here is a clear step forward". The very next day, Jarno Trulli completed the day with a time of 1.20.801, fastest overall, Red Bull-Renault driver David Coulthard was second with a time of 01:21.258 on the same day.
Complete Formula One results
(key) (results in bold indicate pole position)