Between 1981 and 1985, Toleman went from being not very good in Formula One racing to being a strong competitor. During these five years, many famous drivers got their start with Toleman, including Ayrton Senna and Rory Byrne, who later designed cars for Michael Schumacher.
Ted Toleman and his older brother Bob ran a company centered around a car transportation business in Brentwood, Essex. They became known for sponsoring drivers in grassroots motorsport. Sadly, Bob died in a crash in 1976, but Ted continued to race. The company began to invest more in motorsport, hiring promising designer Rory Byrne and entering Formula 2 (F2) racing in 1978.
In 1981, Toleman moved up to Formula One. At first, they struggled, but they improved over the next few years. In 1984, they almost won the Monaco Grand Prix with Ayrton Senna. However, in 1985, Senna left the team, and Toleman faced challenges, including losing their tire supply deal.
Eventually, the team was sold to Benetton, and Toleman left motorsport. Ted Toleman was also involved in off-shore powerboat racing and captained the Virgin Atlantic Challenger 1 in 1985. Later, he sold his company and moved to different countries before settling in the Philippines.
Although Alex Hawkridge was the main force behind Toleman’s success in motorsport, Ted Toleman’s support was essential. Derek Warwick, one of the drivers, said he owed his career to Toleman. Ted Toleman passed away, and our thoughts are with his family during this time.
