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From 19:00 Japan time today, Toyota unveiled in Cologne, in Germany its definitive 2002 challenger, the TF102, Official drivers, Mike Salo and Allan McNish. The car will make the race debut at the Australian GP at Melbourne on March 3, 2002. At the ANA hotel in Akasaka, Tokyo, the presentation in Germany was broadcasted to the Japanese media simultaneously via the special transfer circuit between Germany and Japan.
Before the announcement in Germany, Mr. Akihiko Saito, Executive Vice President of the Toyota Motor Corporation made a short speech to the ANA hotel audience as follows: "The responsible persons of this project in Germany may talk about a rather modest target of their work today. But Toyota is expecting to get it done and win the F1 race championship within three years." The Toyota Motorsport GmbH, the headquarter of which is based at Cologne, is lead by Mr. Tsutomu Tomita (Executive Director of Toyota Motor Corporation) and Mr. Ove Anderson. The company employed 550 people at its base who come from over 30 countries. They have been making every effort in their power to develop the machines and also to prepare themselves for entering the race.
I knew Mr.Anderson since more than thirty years ago. At that time, he was a leader of Toyota rally team which entered the various European car rallies. One time, he guided me to a racing course riding on a Toyota van which he tuned for accompanying the race. When he drove it, it run through the winding mountain road at a substantial speed, by grounding the all four wheels firmly. Once he tried to install the 2000 cc engine on Corolla and said he would like to win a game, by defeating Renault, Peugeot or Citroen. He was an excellent rally driver as well as an outstanding professional who tuned up a standard car to a racing rally car. With such a carrier, he was selected as a president of company. I have had quite an interest how to manage his company to develop the machines as well as to organize the racing team. He has been called as "Maestro"in this world. He knew lots of people. He got together the most talented and capable person in this field mainly from Europe. He drove his people to a single target following the neatly planned schedule.
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He said he wished to qualify in heats at all games and also he wish to run the whole distance at all races. When an executive in charge of developing engines was asked by the master of ceremony whether the new engine wass designed progressively or conservatively, he said "conservatively." The other man in charge of developing chassis replied the same answer. Mr. Mika Salo (Finnish, Born on November 30, 1966), an official driver, is in the above pictures. He is taller than another driver. He was sitting at cockpit and an upper half of his head can be seen on the above left picture. Mr. Allan McNish (British, Born on December 29, 1969), another official driver, is shorter than Allan. I expect their success.