During yesterday's launch of the Toyota TF106, Tsutomu Tomita - Chairman and Team Principal talked about the changes from the V10 program to the V8 source: paddocktalk.com One interesting comment was his comparison of the old CART V8 engine (similar to what the Champ Car World Series uses today), to the IRL V8 engine. Tomita explained: "Our CART and IRL engines were V8s and the GT-One sportscar engine was a V8, so there's been a lot of communication about V8 engines! Of course the Formula 1 engine is different, but there are some essentials we can discuss, such as crankshafts, ignition order, bearings, how to avoid vibration, maintaining reliability, and so on. There's a good co-ordination between all three corners of Toyota's global motorsport triangle." Toyota Technical Director Engine Luca Marmorini agreed saying, "The Champcar engine was more similar to Formula 1 than the IRL engine. It was a turbo, but it was revving high as well, although not to our level, because they used metallic valve springs rather than a pneumatic system. We have shared some coatings technology and some design techniques. So they know our engine, and we have learned some things. Having said that, some problems we've had they haven't met. But it's always a positive and interesting discussion."
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