Toleman

Location: Enstone, England
Years in F1: 1981 - 1985
Team championships: 0
Drivers Championships: 0
Grand Prix victories: 0
Races started: 57
Pole positions: 1

Toleman team history

Follwoing success in F2, Toleman enterd F1 in 1981 building its own car and engine with the help of Hart. Their first car the the TG181 was a poor car being unreliable and difficult to drive. It was nicknamed The Belgrano for its oil leaks and was up up to 15 seconds a lap of the pace. It was designed by Rory Byrne who later went to Benetton and Ferrari and engineered by pat Symonds who went on to Benetton and Renault. 1982 was aslight improvement as they at least qualified to start half the races. For the British Grand Prix they light fuelled Derek Warwick's car so that he got up to second place before running out of fuel. It did though show the potential of the team and Derek Warwick. Increased sponsorship and an updated car made the TG183B for 1983 a more competitive car. The first points for the team were from Derek Warwick's 4th place at Zandvoort where he also took the fastest lap. They scored points in the last 4 races of the season. For 1984 they signed F1 rookie Ayrton Senna who acheived 3 podium finishes although still with a number of retirements during the season. This was the teams best season. The team was sold to Benetton in 1985 after it failed to have a tyre supplier and lost sponsors.
Key personnel
Founders: Ted Toleman and Alex Hawkridge Team principal: Alex Hawkridge Staff: Rory Byrne, Pat Symonds, Christopher Wittty

Previous seasons

1985

Position: NC
Points: 0
Race wins: 0
Teo Fabi NC 0 points
Piercarlo Ghinzani NC 0 points
The team collapsed this year as it was unable to find a tyre supplier and lost sponsors. Mid season it was bought out by Benneton. Although it ran the season as Toleman it was effectively Benetton.

1984

Position: 7
Points: 16
Race wins: 0
Ayrton Senna 9th 13 points
Johnny Cecotto NC 0 points
Stefan Johansson 13th 3 points
This was the teams best season as they signed Ayrton Senna for his first season in F1. He finished 2nd in Monaca in a wet race, which was the teams best result. Toleman TG184

1983

Position: 9
Points: 10
Race wins: 0
Derek Warwick 14th 9 points
Bruno Giacomelli 19th 1 points
The car was better and Derek Warwick scored the teams first points.
Toleman TG183B

1982

Position: NC
Points: 0
Race wins: 0
Derek Warwick NC 0 points
Teo Fabi NC 0 points
The second season in F1 was a slight improvement and at least qulsified for half the races.
Toleman TG181B

1981

Position: NC
Points: 0
Race wins: 0
Derek Warwick NC 0 points
Brian Henton NC 0 points
In their first season they only qualified to start two races as the car was slow and unreliable.