Toyota F1 factory visit

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Principessa
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Joined: 12 Aug 2005, 14:36
Location: Zottegem Belgium

Toyota F1 factory visit

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Hi all,

Tomba and I just got home from an incredible day! As we participated in a contest of Toyota, we were selected to go and visit the F1 facility at Cologne, Germany. We gathered at a parking by the highway and drove to Cologne in the Official Toyota F1 Team bus on which the drivers and management drives to all the European races! On the bus, we were pampered with a nice breakfast. Arriving at Cologne, we were invited for an amazing buffet! Japanese food...and it was incredible!
After filling up our belly, we got a tour at the factory. With a very good guide, we visited some of the departments of the facility. We couldn't take pictures, but it was really a once in a lifetime experience! We visited the wind tunnel, the workshop, the engine dyno, the department where they make the carbon fibre parts (entering this part, they were just working on the monocoque),...
The part of the factory where we could take pictures was the hall where they keep some of the cars. But doing the tour in the factory, we came along a lot of old Toyota F1 cars standing in the hallway, waiting for a museum at the facility.

It was an extraordinary day and one we'll remember for the rest of our lives! It was an incredible tour, but for me and Tomba it could take for another 3 or 4 days until we saw everything we wanted!


(Some of the pictures will be put online :wink: )

waynes
waynes
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Joined: 23 Aug 2006, 23:23
Location: Manchester

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im so jealous :(

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f1.redbaron
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Joined: 31 Jul 2005, 23:29

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why wasn't I invited? :D :D

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tomislavp4
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Joined: 16 Jun 2006, 17:07
Location: Sweden & The Republic of Macedonia

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Lucky you....wish I was there :D

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whiplash
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Joined: 07 Mar 2006, 14:45
Location: Manchester / England

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We all sould have gone :?

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ds.raikkonen
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Joined: 04 Apr 2007, 08:11

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wow...i can kill for such an opportunity..so did you guys get a hang of 'Kaizen'..Toyota is pretty hyper about it...I havent completely understood the points scoring in it.
“Speed has never killed anyone. Suddenly becoming stationary...that’s what gets you.” - JC

Ranald
Ranald
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Joined: 23 Oct 2006, 21:15
Location: Oxford

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Lucky you Principessa.
"I was having a ---" - Kimi Riakkonens response to Martin Brundles questioning of why he had missed Peles presentation to Michael Schumacher before the Brazilian GP 2006.

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Principessa
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Joined: 12 Aug 2005, 14:36
Location: Zottegem Belgium

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Well, if there would have been a possiblity of inviting more of you...of course we would have. But to be honoust, we were already extremely happy that we were one of the lucky ones to be picked to go to the F1 facility out of all the participants in the Pit Stop challenge. They don't give many tours in the factory, so we were really lucky!

Tomba will put some pictures online later :wink:

mahesh248
mahesh248
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Joined: 05 Mar 2007, 12:05
Location: India

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Well one day i will be working in one of those departments ...and i will m glad that u guys are enjoying ....well prince how was the wind tunnel ..room ..

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Tifoso
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Joined: 11 Feb 2007, 22:50

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mahesh248 wrote:Well one day i will be working in one of those departments ...and i will m glad that u guys are enjoying ....well prince how was the wind tunnel ..room ..
I will also be working there! Lets say in... 20 years?

mahesh248
mahesh248
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Joined: 05 Mar 2007, 12:05
Location: India

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20 years that long man ......No way m going real soon

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Principessa
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Joined: 12 Aug 2005, 14:36
Location: Zottegem Belgium

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mahesh248 wrote:well prince how was the wind tunnel ..room ..
Well we went up to the balcony where you had an overview on the windtunnel. It was sooooo high and impressive! And than when he started making wind...such a noise. We also saw the 50% scale model that Toyota is using in the wind tunnel.
I was really impressed by the whole day! Such an experience! Of course I would have wanted too see more of the facility :oops: :oops: :oops:

manchild
manchild
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Joined: 03 Jun 2005, 10:54

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Did you get to meet one of the top 3 drivers in f1? :lol:

modbaraban
modbaraban
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Joined: 05 Apr 2007, 17:44
Location: Kyiv, Ukraine

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manchild wrote:Did you get to meet one of the top 3 drivers in f1? :lol:
this one?

Image

PS: one to add to your fakery collection (this is Leonid Brezhnev)

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Principessa
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Joined: 12 Aug 2005, 14:36
Location: Zottegem Belgium

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manchild wrote:Did you get to meet one of the top 3 drivers in f1? :lol:
He was "working" at Barcelona