Toyota Racing is a 'United Nations of Formula 1'. In its challenge to succeed at the top, the team has from the very beginning embraced the international nature of the sport and can truly claim to be a global effort.

Toyota has strong roots not only in two countries, but in two continents, thanks to its home in Cologne, Germany and its parent company Toyota Motor Corporation in Japan. That is unusual in itself but delve deeper and there is a team of an incredible 32 nationalities, united in their passion to succeed.

Variety, they say, is the spice of life but for Toyota Racing, each individual brings unique skills and the exotic mix of nationalities adds a wealth of different experience and viewpoints which enhance the team's potential.

“We are a very multi-national team so this creates challenges but all of us find it refreshing,” says team President John Howett.

That is a view shared by race driver Ralf Schumacher: “It is like a gift, you can learn and experience things for future life.”

For a Japanese-owned team based in Germany, it is no surprise to find plenty of Japanese and German staff. In that, the team is far from unique but how many teams can boast staff from Togo and Poland, managers from Brazil and secretaries from South Korea?