Ted Toleman, the visionary behind the Toleman racing team and Ayrton Senna’s first F1 boss, passed away at 86 after a long illness in Manila. His legacy spans Formula 1 and endurance racing.
Initially owning a Formula 2 team, Toleman made his Formula 1 debut in 1981, with the team qualifying for 57 out of the 70 races it attempted to enter. It was, of course, the signing of Senna, an exceptional rookie, that brought the team into the spotlight.
By the end of 1983, Toleman recorded a series of point finishes with two fourth places for Derek Warwick, and a double points finish for Warwick and Bruno Giacomelli at the European Grand Prix in 1983.
But in 1984, after two point finishes in South Africa and Belgium, it was under the rain at the Monaco Grand Prix that Senna shone for Toleman. He finished second after the race was halted by a red flag.
Coming from 13th place, Senna was catching up to Alain Prost when the race was stopped due to weather conditions. More than Senna, it was Ted Toleman who was most frustrated by this decision, leading him to sell the team in 1985, a season during which the team recorded 19 retirements from 20 starts, despite a pole position.
Luciano Benetton, then a sponsor of Toleman, bought the team, which then moved to Enstone and underwent several identity changes until it became Alpine F1 in 2021, the identity it still holds today. On a personal note, Ted Toleman also competed in the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the Paris-Dakar Rally.
- ReadMore>Tsunoda’s Rise: From Teen to Pro in F1 2024
- Following us on Facebook and Twitter
Ted Toleman, founder of the Toleman F1 team has passed away. Ted Toleman, founder of the Toleman F1 team has passed away
