Toyota has a long and distinguished history of international motorsport success. We have been most noted in recent years for multiple victories in the World Rally Championship and CART series, backed up by strong performances at the Le Mans 24 hours classic. But our sporting influence spreads much further afield as we have built an impressive participation catalogue.Our motorsport heritage has demonstrated that which each new level of competition, we are always willing to take on a new challenge, and we are now ready to face the ultimate test by competing in F1, the world premier auto racing competition.
Toyota submits 2002 entry and concludes testing Media Relations Toyota has officially submitted its entry form to take part in the 2002 FIA Formula 1 World Championship. The team will run using the name Panasonic Toyota Racing. The deadline for all applications to enter the 2002 FIA World Championship is 15 November. As a result of this formal application all teams must subsequently adhere to a testing ban, which runs until January 2002. In accordance with the rules, Toyota's formal application coincides with the end of the team's final test session of 2001, which was concluded at Circuit Paul Ricard in the south of France earlier today. Both Mika Salo and Allan McNish were in action during the two-week long session. Since the launch of its test car in March, the Toyota team has carried out test sessions at 11 Grand Prix circuits worldwide in addition to numerous visits to its home track of Paul Ricard. In this 8-month period, Allan and Mika have completed a combined total of over 3000 laps on these circuits. The Scot has around 9,000 kilometres under his belt, whilst Salo has driven in excess of 6,000 kilometres. Toyota will unveil its 2002 contender - its first ever F1 race car - Cologne on 17 December 2001.