JANUARY 15, 2004

Toyota makes F1 bond with Intel

Toyota has gone into partnership with Intel, the US giant microprocessor company. The deal will see Intel logos on the cars and the Formula 1 team upgrading its computer systems to use the latest Intel processors. The new Toyota T104 will feature Intel logos on the rear wing, the nose and the side of the new car as well as on the team clothing, driver overalls, pit walls, motorhomes and technical trucks.

Intel, which was founded in 1968, is based in Chandler, Arizona. It is currently booming with record revenues in the last quarter of 2003, earning $2.17bn in the last three months of the year to bring its annual earnings to $5.64bn on sales of more than $30bn.

The company has been the industry leader since it produced the first microprocessor in 1971 and it has had a reputation for innovation ever since with its 286, 386, 486 and Pentium processors.