Ted Toleman passes away aged 86

Norman Edward ‘Ted’ Toleman, whose Formula 1 team gave several famous names their start in the sport, has died at the age of 86 after a long illness.

Drivers such as Ayrton Senna, Stefan Johansson and Derek Warwick began their F1 careers in Toleman cars. Other successful and long-serving F1 staff such as designer Rory Byrne, engineer Pat Symonds and public relations manager Ann Bradshaw also made their start at the team.

Toleman ran a transport business in the UK before setting up his team, which also competed in Formula 2. Their first attempt at an F1 car was not successful and 10 rounds passed before they qualified for their first race in 1981. But they made rapid progress over the following years.

Warwick delivered their first points score with fourth place at Zandvoort in 1983. The following year the team came close to winning at Monaco, Senna hacking seconds out of Alain Prost’s lead on a soaked circuit before the race was controversially red-flagged and not restarted.

Their fifth season was more difficult, the team being forced to miss races as it was unable to source tyres. But by now Italian fashion outfit Benetton had spotted their potential and bought the team from Toleman. Over the years that followed Toleman’s rebranded team conquered the sport, winning world championships first as Benetton and later Renault. The French manufacturer bought the team again in 2015 and it now competes under its Alpine brand.

Formula 1 CEO Stefano Domenicali said he was “saddened to hear that Ted Toleman has passed away.

“He gave so much to Formula 1 and his achievements and legacy will always be part of our history. Our thoughts are with his family and friends at this sad time.”

Outside F1, Toleman was a championship-winning racer of offshore power boats, who claimed two world records. However his attempt to break the record for fastest crossing of the Atlantic by powerboat in 1985 ended when the boat he ran with Virgin tycoon Richard Branson (later an F1 team owner) capsized as it neared the end of its three-day journey.

Toleman’s family was struck by tragedy in 2003 when one of his twin sons, Gary, was shot and killed in front of his fiancee in a car-jacking near Johannesburg in South Africa.

After leaving F1 Toleman moved around the world and ran Australia’s Mini Challenge series in the late noughties. He and wife Maitie spent their time between the Gold Coast and Manila in the Philippines, where he passed away yesterday from complications relating to cardiorenal syndrome.

He is survived by Maitie and their son Michael.

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