Toyota announces WRC plans

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Originally Posted by Simmi

Seems N.O.T isn't the only guy expecting this project to fail. Interesting Colin Clark column from MN last week talking about the service park chatter. Anyone know who the other two guys are that have left?

https://twitter.com/Krisse_Sohlberg/...747520?lang=en

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Well I would not bet a cent on them.
Of course I can't be sure of them to fail... but all the clue we have seems to show it.

- All the drivers are refusing to join them, and it is not because of money since they have budget.
- They started testing late and have not a proper headquarter
- People like Zotos are saying bye bye
- It all seems confusing, and it is difficult to get information (but this can be silly jourinalists fault). And when it is difficult to get information it is often because someone don't want to show its problem...

Though I think N.O.T. ´s starting point was quite opposite to what happens now, there´s starting to be other glimpses of things happen that isn´t to good.

Or maybe it´s media-talk. You know when media wants things to go s**t. You know tabloids... The write what they want to happen, bcs then they´ll sell more papers.

The advices to TM in the article though was spot on, and still we don´t know a single thing about how TM is organizing his team. Maybe he´s doing just so.

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Originally Posted by Rallyper

Though I think N.O.T. ´s starting point was quite opposite to what happens now, there´s starting to be other glimpses of things happen that isn´t to good.

Or maybe it´s media-talk. You know when media wants things to go s**t. You know tabloids... The write what they want to happen, bcs then they´ll sell more papers.

The advices to TM in the article though was spot on, and still we don´t know a single thing about how TM is organizing his team. Maybe he´s doing just so.

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What tabloids?! There're no more tabloids about rally. Almost amateur sport... :P

It’s not looking promising. The WRC needs another strong team –and with their history, Toyota are expected to put up a huge challenge.
I think most people thought that TMG in Cologne would be running the programme – and ran some of the early development testing with Sarrazin& Lindholm…..

And then the bombshell; Tommi Makinen’s team would be runningthe programme. A team with little experience of running cars in international series (apart from Gp N cars, mainly in Finland).

I still can’t figure out this decision – and seems to be at the personal instruction of Akio Toyoda, who probably meant well.

You wish them well, but everything seems to be pointing to disappointment: inexperienced team, basing the team in Finland, no ‘top line’drivers, personnel leaving, etc

Let's sit back and relax. Still a long way to go.

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Originally Posted by Franky

Let's sit back and relax. Still a long way to go.

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agree, it also makes the whole experience far better, in the end we can see who was right and who not and who flopped and who did not.

The proof will be in the stage times for sure.

It does remind me a bit of the Nissan LMP1 situation that happened recently. You started to get rumblings from inside the project that things weren't going well and they couldn't attract drivers. There's no smoke without fire as they say. But I don't subscribe to the theory that there are people in the sport that want to see Toyota fail. Who does that really benefit? Despite people loving bad news, surely the better storylines are if they beat VW/Ogier.

What Nissan did have that Toyota don't was PR and social media across the programme. Really the only information we find out is when Tommi picks up the phone to a journalist or gets interviewed at a rally. It continues to be a massive missed opportunity and people fill the space with rumours. That said, Nissan made such a big noise about their Le Mans programme that when it did tank it added up to massive humiliation. Toyota have made no noise about their WRC programme.

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Originally Posted by AL14

Well I would not bet a cent on them.
Of course I can't be sure of them to fail... but all the clue we have seems to show it.

- They started testing late and have not a proper headquarter

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They were 1st to test real 17" car, but maybe that is late...
And their HQ is as good as others (I have been there and other places also)

Otherwise I admit that they may have some problems.

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Originally Posted by pantealex

They were 1st to test real 17" car, but maybe that is late...
And their HQ is as good as others (I have been there and other places also)

Otherwise I admit that they may have some problems.

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Ok, thanks for the clarification. You mean that actually VW was testing a mule and not a real '17 car right?
Then ok, but I think it is late anyway since they could have had much more advantage (and they needed it since it is their first year in the championship).
As for HQ I can't judge. If you were there you know better for sure.
I stay pessimistic though, since it still doesn't seem to be a winning project. I hope to be wrong of course. :)

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Originally Posted by N.O.T

agree, it also makes the whole experience far better, in the end we can see who was right and who not and who flopped and who did not.

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And as often you have mostly got it wrong. So my advice (still after all these years) is please do some good homework in the future before you post your crap empty comments..