Toyota announces WRC plans

[maciotacio]

Not only I'm not convinced about the car, I think they have by far the weakest driver line-up from all teams.

I think also Citroen is on par with Finnish boys.
For Hanninen there will be no excuse of not knowing or feeling the car. He has to deliver results straight away or will be out of WRC for good. Young gun Sunninen is waiting in the queue.

[Andre Oliveira]

That's 2016 car.

https://motorsport.hyundai.com/ng-i2...ications-2017/


Chassis / Bodywork

StructureSteel bodyshell with welded multi-point roll cage
BodyworkSteel and composite fiber panels
Length / Width4,100/1,875mm
Track width1,665mm
Wheel base2,570mm

[maciotacio]

Lol, Tommi you forgot about some French guy in the field

Tommi Mäkinen as a guest in Finnish news discussion program #AStudio, saying we'll see a Finnish WRC champ in 2018. "Have to be optimistic."
https://twitter.com/HartusvuoriWRC/s...49367469494272

[COD]

Livery looks like made by a 7 year old.

The driver decisions... hmm. I can see the reasoning behind Hänninen, he tested so long and there were not many available when he was signed. Mäkinen ows a lot of his career to Jouhki, so was "forced" to rescue Latvala. Mikkelsen would have better choise. Lappi is a talent, hope they can get a third car running asap. What testing will he get? Regulations restrict testing days and the race driver will want to test as much as possible to set up the car. And the boss still wants to test. Maybe they start developing R5? Hope so for Lappis sake, otherwise he will do nothing...

[GigiGalliNo1]

Never said I didn't like them for competition... great they're competing and the more cars the better!

[RS]

Lol, Tommi you forgot about some French guy in the field

Tommi Mäkinen as a guest in Finnish news discussion program #AStudio, saying we'll see a Finnish WRC champ in 2018. "Have to be optimistic."
https://twitter.com/HartusvuoriWRC/s...49367469494272

Not only are all Toyota drivers Finnish but all the Finnish drivers are in Toyota.. so over to you Tommi.

[electroliquid]

Not only are all Toyota drivers Finnish but all the Finnish drivers are in Toyota.. so over to you Tommi.

If Toyota didn't succeed, it could be dissaster to hopes of see Finnish crowned World champion soon...

[rp]

Lappi is a talent, hope they can get a third car running asap. What testing will he get? Regulations restrict testing days and the race driver will want to test as much as possible to set up the car. And the boss still wants to test. Maybe they start developing R5? Hope so for Lappis sake, otherwise he will do nothing...

TGR WRC is registered to Finland and they can test there all the time.

Lappi is able to drive every week during the winter and collect the experience. If Esapekka´s 1st event is Portugal (May 19/21) it will possible to drive on gravel also in Finland at the end of April / beginning of May after the winter time.

[rp]

If Toyota didn't succeed, it could be dissaster to hopes of see Finnish crowned World champion soon...

That´s true! Not very good situation if the car is much weaker that others. The season 2017 is in any case the development year for the Toyota Gazoo Racing WRC, but there must be some potential to show if it will be possible to win in 2018.

Mäkinen said that all the drivers have only one year contract, so you never know what will happen in 2018...

[maciotacio]

Mäkinen said that all the drivers have only one year contract, so you never know what will happen in 2018...

Did he say that yesterday? Some time ago, he said about 2 years contract for Hanninen.