Toyota launches British TV sponsorship of F1.

Toyota will launch its four-year sponsorship of British broadcaster ITV's Formula One coverage on Sunday 3 March 2002 with the Australian Grand Prix, the first grand prix for the new Panasonic Toyota Racing team.

Toyota's sponsorship features 15, ten and five second idents to run within ITV's Grand Prix coverage, with the advertising concept based on the idea that Toyota is now 'Inside F1' and is passionate and committed to the sport. Toyota is one of only two teams that produce both its own chassis and its own engine, the other being world champions Ferrari.

"This sponsorship represents a major investment for Toyota," commented Paul Philpott, marketing director for Toyota (GB), "We believe that our entry into Formula One says a huge amount about Toyota as a company and as a brand - and the idents capture the excitement and emotion of F1 and the technical excellence required to compete."

The idents build on this uniqueness by stripping the car down to reveal specific Toyota components within the F1 car. With a stunning combination of real footage and computer generated wizardry viewers can see the car deconstructing, layer-by-layer, exposing individual components. Accompanying the visuals is a distinctive soundtrack created especially for the work.

The intro opens with a wide shot of the Toyota F1 car moving at pace. The camera then tracks around the car whilst moving closer. As the camera travels further into the car, it transforms from real image to wire frame, revealing the engine block, finally coming to rest on a Toyota logo embossed on a piston head.

The break bumpers develop this concept exposing further components including the engine, disc brake, radiator, pedals and exhaust.

The outro ident starts where the intro ends, close-up on the Toyota logo on the piston head. Gradually the camera tracks out and around to reveal a wider shot of the fast moving Toyota F1 car. The car eventually speeds off leaving a Toyota logo sprayed on the track.

"This is an outstanding piece of cutting edge advertising," added David Droga, executive creative director at Saatchi and Saatchi, "We were asked to convey the power and thrill of Formula One and show an intelligence and sophistication in the work."

Post production and computer generated effects were produced by The Mill, who won an Oscar at the 2000 Academy Awards for their work on the film Gladiator.

"This was a fantastic job for me," admitted Nick Livesey, director of RSA, "I immediately saw the potential in the idea and knew exactly how we could make it come alive. The whole idea is based on the passion and dynamics of Formula One racing."

A preview of the idents can be seen on Saturday 23 February with ITV's F1 Preview programme.