Day Four:

Today we toured the Toyota F1 plant. It was a fascinating visit. We were greeted by a long line of plant officials, very reminiscent of our trip to Japan where formal greetings and customs are very common.

All the parts for the Toyota Formula One cars are manufactured in the plant – all under one roof. We were able to visit a test room that simulates actual racing conditions – rain, humidity, air, wind, etc. It tests all the dynamics of the car including speed, corrosion and efficiency.

We also visited a closed-loop wind tunnel. The environment is designed to test wind drag and resistance in a effort to increase the aero-dynamics of the car. The average driver is about 5'6"-5'8" and approximately 8,500 parts are required to manufacture a car.

Formula One is the largest sporting event worldwide, outside of the Olympics. There about 17-19 races per year. It offers substantial marketing opportunities for companies. In Europe, about 42 percent of Europeans prefer motorsports, with Formula One being the most popular. In the United States, 28 percent of Americans prefer motorsports.

We also spent the day touring Cologne, the sister-city of Indianapolis. The Indianapolis Fire Department and the Indianapolis Zoo have partnerships with their respective counterparts in Cologne.

Cologne is the fourth largest city in Germany with a population of over 1.8 million. Cologne is home to the Kolner Dom, a prominent Gothic Church that took 500 years to build. It sustained major damage during World War II. They are known for their beer called Kourlesch It is also the dialect they speak so they say, "It's the only language you can drink!"