Toyota announces WRC plans

[RAS007]

Tanak makes perfect sense considering Tommi said he wasn't necessarily looking for solid finishes next year, and instead wanted to find a driver who would drive the car to the absolute maximum to find out just how fast it is. Suggested he'd rather have a driver winning stages even if it ended in crashes, than signing a driver who couldn't find the true limit of the car

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Sounds like the perfect job for Kubica. Tommi just needs to be sure he's ok with multiple crashes on every rally.

[Allez Andruet]

My guess is Tänak/Lappi and Hänninen will join them whenever the third car is ready.

I'd rather give the other full season (alongside Tänak) to Hänninen and give the third car to Lappi whenever it's ready. As hot as Lappi is, he's yet to drive a WRC car and you never know how that'll turn out. So in that sense Hänninen is more "reliable" and the team can possibly benefit more from his input during the first year of developing the car.

[BicioWrc]

EstWRC, do you think for Ott will be good solution? i'm a bit surprise to not hear rumors about him on the radar of Hyundai, if really Neuville will go to citroen...
I strongly believe in his talent, but also Ott seem a guy that need always a bit of psicological support from the team staff,expecially from the boss, and i have a bit of fear of Makinen behave in case things will not take immediately the right direction...

[AL14]

EstWRC, do you think for Ott will be good solution?

A 3 year contract is always a good solution unless you are Ogier. M-Sport will never give him a good car. Let alone DMACKS in their first years... Toyota will struggle a lot at the beginning I guess but at least Tanak will drive with a bit cleaner mind.

Look at what a longterm contract has done to Paddon and Meeke. Even if Toyota is a very big question mark with a lot of doubts around their performances I think it would be definitely good for Tanak considering the options he has.

[Simmi]

A 3 year contract is always a good solution unless you are Ogier. M-Sport will never give him a good car. Let alone DMACKS in their first years... Toyota will struggle a lot at the beginning I guess but at least Tanak will drive with a bit cleaner mind.

Look at what a longterm contract has done to Paddon and Meeke. Even if Toyota is a very big question mark with a lot of doubts around their performances I think it would be definitely good for Tanak considering the options he has.

If anyone is offering Tanak a three-year contract then he should rip their arm off and take it. But is there any source saying that's what he's being offered - or just speculation? Seems that Toyota want to demonstrate pace to try and lure a VW driver for 2018 and beyond. So throwing out long-term contracts now might not be in their plans. And if they were going to give one to any guy it might be Lappi for development.

Would Meeke have got a three-year deal if Toyota weren't interested in him too? I'm not sure he would. Question is does Tanak have that same leverage? I'm not sure he does?

[AL14]

If anyone is offering Tanak a three-year contract then he should rip their arm off and take it. But is there any source saying that's what he's being offered - or just speculation? Seems that Toyota want to demonstrate pace to try and lure a VW driver for 2018 and beyond. So throwing out long-term contracts now might not be in their plans. And if they were going to give one to any guy it might be Lappi for development.

Would Meeke have got a three-year deal if Toyota weren't interested in him too? I'm not sure he would. Question is does Tanak have that same leverage? I'm not sure he does?

I don't have any source. Actually I don't know why I thought it was a 3 years contract, maybe I recalled a previous post from someone who said the same. So I'm sorry I should have checked better.

But since we are speculating... Me too I think he has not the same leverage, but I do think it would not be fantasy if they offered him such contract. They are risking to start the championship with Lappi-Hanninen as lineup. You will hardly convince any VW driver in future with such lineup.

[EstWRC]

Tänak wont go if its only a 1 year contract, it would make sense if it would be Hyundai, VW or Citroen because their cars are known to be fast but Toyota is still unknown and he needs a more secure contract.

And about Hyundai and Tänak, i can say that there is also fire.

[BicioWrc]

If rumors are all in right direction, situation seem quite clear: with Neuville that will be key point of the market; if he will go really to citroen Ott will potencially have 2 open doors (3 with m-sport)
i'm also agree that duration of contract will have big influence on his decision. Toyota will be for sure a nice challenge with possibility to grow up the team around him and surely will give him long contract; also hyundai too could decide to give him atleast 2 years contract, in this case will be not easy to decide which option catch.
As big fan of Ott hope he will take the right one.

[pantealex]

I don´t believe that Toyota will offer Ott 3-year deal..
If Yaris is fast there will be many fast drivers available for 2018 or 2019

[BicioWrc]

the rumor was 2+1 (i suppose team option for third year) sound logic if their believe in his potential