Founding story
The Toleman company originated in 1926, founded by Edward Toleman to deliver Ford cars to dealerships. Edward’s son, Albert, took over in the 1950s, and Albert’s sons, Ted and Bob, succeeded him in 1966. The Toleman brothers, alongside Alex Hawkridge, expanded the transportation business into Europe. The family were also enthusiastic amateur racers; Albert won rally championships, and Ted participated in Formula Two, the Dakar Rally, and the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Sadly, Bob Toleman died in a racing accident in 1976. Hawkridge encouraged the company to sponsor racing competitors, beginning with Rad Dougall in Formula Ford in 1976. Dougall’s success in 1977, winning the Formula Ford 2000 title, prompted Ted Toleman to establish his own Formula Two team.
Toleman competed in the European Formula Two Championship from 1978 to 1980, led by Hawkridge and Roger Silman. They hired Rory Byrne, a designer from Royale Racing, with the long-term goal of building their own cars. The team improved steadily. In 1978, they ran a customer March-BMW, achieving one podium finish. Byrne criticized March for prioritizing their works team, concluding that customer cars were always at a disadvantage. In 1979, Toleman fielded two cars, a Ralt-Hart and a March, preferring the lighter and more reliable Hart engine despite its power deficit. Brian Henton finished second in the championship, losing the title by two points after being disqualified from the Mediterranean Grand Prix despite finishing first on track. In 1980, the team unveiled the Toleman TG280, designed by Byrne, which exploited a loophole in the regulations to maintain ground effect. Switching to Pirelli tyres, Toleman dominated the season, with Henton and Derek Warwick finishing first and second in the championship. Toleman cars won six of the twelve races, and accounted for three of the top four and four of the top seven drivers.
Formula Atlantic/Pacific
Toleman also produced the TA860 car, built by Lola, for Formula Atlantic and Formula Pacific racing. Two were built: one sold to Carl Haas in America in 1981, and the other to Australian driver Peter Williamson in September of the same year. Williamson raced the car in Australian Formula 1 (Pacific), using a Toyota engine despite most competitors using Ford. The chassis was crashed during practice for the 1984 Australian Grand Prix, leading to Williamson's retirement from racing.
Toleman entered Formula One in 1981. Hawkridge admitted the team was unprepared, but saw an opportunity to enter the top level due to the FISA–FOCA war, with FISA seeking to add teams to strengthen its position. The team recruited Pat Symonds, promising to double his salary, and innovated by using the first fibre-optic engine management system. Crucially, Toleman opted for Hart turbo engines, recognizing the growing dominance of turbo-powered cars in Formula One. Symonds later remarked that choosing the Hart engine, rather than a naturally aspirated Cosworth DFV, was essential to the team’s long-term survival.
1981–1982: Difficult early years
The early years in Formula One were challenging. The TG181 suffered from growing pains associated with the new turbo technology, earning nicknames like "The Pig" and "The Belgrano." In 1981, the team struggled to qualify, with only two entries making the grid all season. Derek Warwick described the car as “impossible to drive,” and seven seconds off the pace. In 1982, Teo Fabi joined the team, but reliability issues plagued them, with only two race finishes. The carbon-composite TG183 was introduced late in the season. Facing potential funding cuts from sponsor Candy, the team employed a strategy at the 1982 British Grand Prix, starting Warwick on a half-tank of fuel to gain a speed advantage, knowing he wouldn’t finish the race. The tactic generated positive publicity and secured Candy’s continued sponsorship.
1983: Emergence as a serious team
The 1983 season saw significant improvement with the TG183B, boosted by increased sponsorship from Candy, Iveco, and BP. Derek Warwick scored the team’s first points with a fourth-place finish at the Dutch Grand Prix, initiating a run of four consecutive scoring finishes. Toleman finished 9th in the Constructors' Championship, ahead of several other backmarker teams.
1984: Peaking with Ayrton Senna
In 1984, the team secured a major coup by signing Ayrton Senna, fresh from winning the 1983 British Formula Three Championship. Senna quickly formed a strong relationship with Byrne, who urged Hawkridge to sign him. Senna was paired with Johnny Cecotto, but Cecotto’s career was cut short by a broken leg at the British Grand Prix, with Stefan Johansson eventually replacing him. The team initially struggled, using the 1983 cars for the first four races. Senna’s first points came at the South African Grand Prix. A dispute with Pirelli led Toleman to switch to Michelin, a decision that ultimately contributed to the team’s sale. Senna achieved the team’s first podium at the rain-soaked Monaco Grand Prix, finishing second and challenging Alain Prost before the race was controversially stopped. Senna secured another podium at the British Grand Prix and announced his departure to Lotus, triggering his release clause. He finished the season strongly with a podium at the Portuguese Grand Prix. Despite a challenging season, Toleman finished 7th in the Constructors' Championship, with Senna scoring all but three of their points.
1985: Near-collapse and sale to Benetton
For 1985, Toleman retained Johansson and signed John Watson, and unveiled the first carbon monocoque chassis fabricated in-house. However, the team faced a crisis when Michelin withdrew from Formula One, and Pirelli and Goodyear refused to supply tyres due to past disagreements. Unable to compete for the first three races, the team was sold to the Benetton Group mid-season, with Benetton acquiring a Pirelli supply from the defunct Spirit team. The team continued to race under the Toleman name for the remainder of the year, but struggled for results, failing to score any points.
Legacy
When Ted Toleman sold the team to Benetton, the staff were retained. Rory Byrne and Pat Symonds continued with the rebranded Benetton Formula, building a successful team that won championships with Michael Schumacher in the 1990s. Byrne and Brawn later moved to Ferrari, contributing to their dominance in the early 2000s, while Symonds and Briatore remained with Benetton/Renault (known informally as "Team Enstone"). Ted Toleman remained involved in motorsport, managing the Australian Mini Challenge series, while Alex Hawkridge later chaired a racing simulator company.
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