The Lesser Known…Tadashi Yamashina 25 Sep 2007
Toyota’s Tadashi Yamashina was only posted to the company’s Formula One base in Germany last December, but a little over six months later and he had already become team principal.
Bringing sporting success to one of the world’s most powerful automakers is a pretty heavy responsibility. But as we discovered, there is also a lighter side to Yamashina San, or George, as he’s sometimes known…
Q: Best part of being a team principal?
Tadashi Yamashina: Being involved in F1 at the highest level.
Q: The most annoying?
TY: The exposure.
Q: Running a Formula One team is like…
TY: …a non-stop adrenalin rush.
Q: What would you be if you weren’t a team principal?
TY: I would not like to change company as it is very successful. I would probably be controlling one of the Toyota group’s companies. But I would always prefer to be involved in motor sports as it is my passion.
Q: The first thing I do after a race is…
TY: …think about how to improve.
Q: Winning a race would mean…
TY: …a reward for the team that works so hard and our first major step to becoming world champions.
Q: What is your favourite place to relax?
TY: At home.
Q: Funniest thing you've read about yourself in the press?
TY: So far, there has been no one ‘funniest’ thing. If I must say something, the press is interested in the root of my nickname, George.
Q: The most difficult decision you have had to make as a team principal?
TY: In the short time I have been team principal, there have been no difficult decisions yet. Everything is a challenge as we need to improve our results, but as a good team we have professionals who make my decision taking very easy.
Q: Best time during a race weekend?
TY: Q2 - because you see the real relative pace of the cars and drivers.
Q: Formula One racing and politics is like…
TY: It’s difficult to understand…
Q: Your best moment as a team principal?
TY: Any podium position.
Q: Something you always wanted to do but never had the time?
TY: Take my wife, daughters and dogs on a holiday to visit Phoenix in Arizona where our two daughters grew up.
Q: How was your first race as a team principal?
TY: It was this year at the French Grand Prix - so it’s quite fresh in the memory. Before that I was vice chairman of TMG (Toyota Motorsport Group).
Q: Who would you like to be for one day? And why?
TY: An F1 driver to have fun driving an F1 car.
Q: Money changes everything…
TY: …for the worse.
