20/06/2002

Q&A with Keizo Takahashi

Question. What is your role at Panasonic Toyota Racing?
Keizo Takahashi. I am the technical coordinator for the team so it is my job to coordinate the technical movements of the team between Japan and Toyota Motorsport GmbH's (TMG) base in Cologne. Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) has a lot of advanced technology especially with regard to racing engine technology electronic control technology and new materials and I am introducing these to TMG. We often have contact with Toyota Racing Development USA Inc (TRD-USA) which is developing the race engine for CART to exchange information on new technology.

Q. How does the road car side benefit from F1?
KT. From the Formula 1 philosophy and in particular the speed that parts are developed and produced. I think there are three reasons that explain why Toyota is in F1: technology human resource development and marketing.

Q. Are you a racer or a road car man?
KT. Of course I am a racing man! I developed the racing engines for CART at TMC in Japan for four years before moving to TMG in 2001.

Q. What is your biggest personal challenge?
KT. To win! I am always busy because there are daily meetings with the different technical groups within the team and also there is daily communication with Toyota Motor Corporation. At least I don't have to commute to Japan too often just three or four times a year so there isn't too much travel to Japan because I can easily communicate with TMC by email and videoconference.

Q. How popular is the F1 programme within Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC)?
KT. I get good feedback from Japan. I speak to them on a daily basis to explain what is happening at the factory and the circuit. My main point of contact is TMG's chairman Mr Tomita. He is a very busy man but he loves F1 and wants to know everything about it and all the technology involved.

Q. How much pressure does Tomita-san put on the team to succeed?
KT. At the beginning of this year the target was to qualify for all races. Now though TMC's expectations are much higher and they are beginning to want results. But I think that is a natural response to racing. They don't expect us to win races this year but they'd like us to be challenging for victories in 2004 so we have lots to learn this year.

Q. How much input do you have to the design of each Toyota Formula 1 car?
KT. I help on both the engine and chassis side. I have introduced some useful new materials and new techniques for the engine and chassis. We are now going to introduce new simulation techniques for both sides.

Q. Has the team started to build the 2003 car?
KT. Yes the design of the car and the engine is already under way.

Q. How many Japanese are there working at TMG?
KT. There are about 20. We will introduce some more Japanese colleagues from TMC in the coming months.

Q. What do the Japanese engineers learn while at the team?
KT. It is a good opportunity for them to get experience of fast development and fast production techniques all to a very high standard. Also they will become tougher because working in F1 is very hard.

Q. How do you think the reputation of Toyota is changing as a result of F1?
KT. F1 is very important for Toyota for many reasons. Look at Europe: we only have a four- percent market share at the moment and we want more. We would like to enhance brand awareness of Toyota and make our brand image more fascinating. We think that F1 will help us achieve that and in particular attract younger people.

Q. What is the best result that the team can achieve this year?
KT. Realistically we should focus on finishing the races. If we can score some more points before the year in the process then I think we can be very happy.