Toyota announces WRC plans

[AL14]

Toyota testing line up completed: Hirvonen; Haninnen and Bouffier.

For 2017 Makinen is looking for Lappi and Suninen's already linked with the team.

It seems there are already plenty of good drivers to make a strong WRC return!

http://www.motorsport.com/wrc/news/h...toyota-670281/
http://www.motorsport.com/wrc/news/t...r-2017-670916/

Would be funny if they will have a line up that is actually slower than the test drivers

[Rally Power]

Would be funny if they will have a line up that is actually slower than the test drivers

Maybe some of those test drivers can be part of the 2017 line up

[liposh]

I think VW wouldn´t let Lappi go. Also he would be dummy. VW is best possible choice.

[denkimi]

Don´t blame his driving skills and don´t forget his handicap. I´m sure many of his accidents were caused by this.

here you can see his hand:
https://youtu.be/9EBB3T8eyN8?t=8s
https://youtu.be/poeNFaSLBfI?t=26s
it seems he can't close his hand completely, so he can't pull anything. that's why he has to push the handbrake.

his crashes have nothing to do with this handicap. he has a different, much bigger one: malfunctioning feet. his right feet stays on the throttle for too long, and most importantly, his left foot often brakes too late. but i doubt that has anything to do with his accident in italy.

[Simmi]

In Motorsport News today Makinen says he is in conversations with Petter Solberg about working together. Doesn't specify whether it's a test role or for a driving return.

Tommi says he hasn't spoken to Loeb yet despite the rumours. But he said if Loeb is interested then so would he.

He said Ogier is under contract until the end of 2017. The only big name seemingly available for next year is Neuville. It seems more and more than Toyota will pair an established guy (Solberg/Hirvonen) with a young guy (Lappi) - test and prove the car in 2017 before going for a big name in 2018.

Maybe I'd missed this but the article also says that Toyota have a WRC deal in place until the end of 2022. So six seasons.

[EightGear]

Hirvonen/Solberg?

........

Besides, that would be a bit of an anticlimax to the silly season even before it has started.

[SubaruNorway]

Petter just signed a 3 year deal With Bertel O. Steen according to some rumours, the importer of Mercedes-Benz, smart, Peugeot, Kia and Citroen. So that's why he did the old man "hidden" camera With a Mercedes.

[AL14]

In Motorsport News today Makinen says he is in conversations with Petter Solberg about working together. Doesn't specify whether it's a test role or for a driving return.

Tommi says he hasn't spoken to Loeb yet despite the rumours. But he said if Loeb is interested then so would he.

He said Ogier is under contract until the end of 2017. The only big name seemingly available for next year is Neuville. It seems more and more than Toyota will pair an established guy (Solberg/Hirvonen) with a young guy (Lappi) - test and prove the car in 2017 before going for a big name in 2018.

Maybe I'd missed this but the article also says that Toyota have a WRC deal in place until the end of 2022. So six seasons.

About Lappi i heard a rumor about Joukhi taking him from EVEN management. Is this true?

I think, if true, that there are two reasons why Lappi could chose to say bye bye to the faster car.
One is that, as it seems, there is no guarantee for a seat in 2017 since it looks like Latvala is going to renew and he doesn't want to stagnate in wrc2 once more.
The other is that we are all talking about him as the next VW driver but we are forgetting that he is not alone at Skoda, that his teammate was better placed than him last year in wrc2 and that so far is more reliable...

[liposh]

My foresee is : VW will offer Lappi contract for 2017. Maybe not all rounds but just to not let him go and shut his mouth. Lappi will stay with EVEN (see his Monte Carlo livery. Do you think the end of cooperation is coming? ) Kopecky will stay with Skoda and drive whatever Skoda will ask him to do. Even in 2050 he will drive czech championship in Skoda (because who cares about WRC2 when you can be 35-times czech champion ). (btw and in 2050 Jaromir Jagr will still play ice hockey) Makkinen will be obliged to ask Tidemand to join Toyota. SO Let´s see next January

[AL14]

My foresee is : VW will offer Lappi contract for 2017. Maybe not all rounds but just to not let him go and shut his mouth. Lappi will stay with EVEN (see his Monte Carlo livery. Do you think the end of cooperation is coming? ) Kopecky will stay with Skoda and drive whatever Skoda will ask him to do. Even in 2050 he will drive czech championship in Skoda (because who cares about WRC2 when you can be 35-times czech champion ). (btw and in 2050 Jaromir Jagr will still play ice hockey) Makkinen will be obliged to ask Tidemand to join Toyota. SO Let´s see next January

hahaha Kopecky 35 times czech champion was funny

Btw, as long as Latvala, Mikkelsen and Ogier will be in VW there will be no place for anyone else since there will not be 4 Polos as far as we know.