And the crap that the team made with Armindo Araújo :mad:
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And the crap that the team made with Armindo Araújo :mad:
So, Italian rumour was not that crazy... :D
http://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/wrc/t ... nstruction
Could we finally see the return of Toyota? :bounce:
One year old info... (http://www.autosport.cz/clanek.php?cl=14053 or http://www.autosport.cz/clanek.php?cl=13553)Quote:
Originally Posted by ilsit
http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/111749
Toyota's return to the World Rally Championship has taken a step closer with the news that it will build a Yaris World Rally Car next year.
The Japanese firm's Cologne-based motorsport arm TMG confirmed the Yaris WRC would be up and running in 2014.
A company spokesman said: "From TMG, we are very much interested in coming back to the World Rally Championship.
"We start testing the Yaris World Rally Car next year, running it with our 1.6-litre turbo engine.
"This will be a pretty low-key programme, run in order for us to gain experience of the car and to refresh and build our knowledge base on the technical side of running a World Rally Car."
The car is believed to be in build at the moment but there is no firm decision on a competition programme.
Pascal Vasselon, technical director of Toyota's LMP1 operation, said: "We have not decided on the time of our WRC entry."
Didier Auriol, Toyota, Safari WRC 1998
The Toyota spokesman added that while there had been no formal green light for a WRC return, it was "reasonable" to say it would go ahead.
"The decision ultimate lies with Japan and, at the moment, there is no concrete request or fixed plan, but it is something we hope will happen.
"To say this is on the horizon seems reasonable."
Toyota last competed in the WRC's top flight in 1999, with the Corolla WRC (pictured).
It has recently returned at a class level with the Yaris R1, while an R3-based GT86 CS-R3 will arrive in 2015.
It is really good news that manufacturers are becoming interested in WRC again, but why? Is it because the new regulations are cheaper, or that it is a much cheaper global sport than F1? It can't be because the promotion or visibility of the series is good!
WRC has gone from expensive and rare one offs in Gr B to standard world cars with 1,6 litre engines. Which most of the brands has as model. No rocket science needed to have a ground to build on. The formula seems to work in right direction.
Makes you wonder what WRC could potentially be like with quality exposure and live tv if manufacturers are still interested in joining as things are now...! WRC is a sleeping giant help back by the incompetent shambles that is the fia :angryfireQuote:
Originally Posted by RS
And dont forget Red Bull Media House, which are still much worse than in last years terrible NOS...Quote:
Originally Posted by er88
Yeah absolutely. I expected red bull media house to be alot better than they have been so far.Quote:
Originally Posted by PLuto
So it almost seems Toyota's plan is to let TMG develop the yaris and get it up and running on the stages, then if the car has potential and is pretty competitive out of the blocks Toyota will become involved fully and plunge in money? And if the car is terrible Toyota will cut all ties and not bother with manufacturer support or what :confused: ? Toyota seem really wary of new motorsport ventures after F1 disaster...
If you have selfconfidence you already know if car is good enough. It just costs a certain amount of money.
Confused; is there a plan with the Italians or not?
If I was the boss of TMG I would try to buy out 2-3 top guys from VW Motorsport, they have proved themselves!!
Obviously there's a plan, but first-step is build the car. Then development will be done in co-operation with Motorsport Italia. That's what was written by Rally Emotion magazine. Hope will be soon delivered to my newsagent, as I could look if there's more news about that...Quote:
Originally Posted by Sulland
Carlos Barbosa told autosport.pt: Toyota are in conversations with Jean Todt.
Conversations about what?
Asia Pacific Rally Championship have announced new eligibility rules and mention potential under new criteria for Toyota Yaris (Vitz) to be built into R3 equivalent. http://fiaaprc.com/2013/12/aprc-opens-door-cars-2014/
A bit more on the Toyota WRC project here.
First test kilometres set to be this year - with Stephane Sarrazin at the wheel.
But no confirmed entry - just high interest and potentially nothing until 2017!
http://www.motorsport-total.com/rallye/ ... 12402.html
Talk about dragging it out.
Apart from Sarrazin testing, which I expected him to do, not really any solid 'news'.
Are they waiting for rules/ regs changes? Or, is it on hold until the WEC and/ or Le Mans win - which isn't certain either. The F1 programme burnt them badly; and spending big money is a no/ no. They almost competing with one arm tied behind their back.
http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/112372 no Toyota in the WRC until 2017 at least....bummer
Well, that should mean we could see Toyota training logistics in some WRC or ERC-events from 2015 and on? They also have to do testing with current prototype on some events in the years before, wouldn´t they?
Toyota test video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=22LFPyyT5to
That certainly look and sound like it has been tested for some time already :)
Who is the Driver?
And for being a pimped Yaris R1 that is not bad!!Quote:
Originally Posted by Mirek
HD footage by Rally Emotion magazine https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10152235179558808
more please!!
I thought Toyota said no entry to the WRC before 2017? It seems a little strange that they would spend over 2.5 years to develop a car, no? Surley if they have a car built now, it could be ready for 2016 or even 2015.
I know there are major rule changes for '17, but they don't know what they are yet, so why build a car which is probably be aligned with current regs (well, what else?) and never run it in competition?
The Story begins for Toyota http://planetemarcus.com/toyota-moto...-sa-yaris-wrc/
I read somewhere Sarrazin was one of the two test drivers. Don't remember the other name...
jbmarcus21 was fast. Bravo ;)
Lindholm is the second test driver.
maybe some spot entries in 2016 and then full wrc assault in 2017Quote:
Originally Posted by Doon
another hypothesis could be that 2017 rule changes will be postponed and toyota had some "insider" confirmation by Fia or asked for that kind of change
It's an independent project right now, Toyota Board is not involved at the moment. But there's a chance to see this Yaris in some WRC events in 2015, run by Motorsport Italia (as predicted last november...).
http://www.rallyemotion.it/8886_wrc-...-debutto-gara/
I think they're concentrating on the WEC with the new TS040; and I think that's a 3 year programme. The failed F1 programme left them badly burned - so are careful about spending too much on Motorsport programmes.Quote:
Originally Posted by Doon
They'll return when they're ready and the regs suit - particularly hybrids.
sounds a bit like the vw wrc so it cant be too far off being a wrc
Yes it`s called independent but Toyota funded, the first tests must have been very secret since no one seems to have known about it, this was not the first test that now "leaked" to the media...Quote:
Originally Posted by christy but
Toyota testing their new WRC car behind closed doors? Sounds about right, since that's exactly what they did with the Group A Celica GT-Four.Quote:
Originally Posted by AMSS
I can agree with that... Why develop a car now that will be redundant anyway when the new rules comes?Quote:
Originally Posted by manthey
I hope they will enter in -16 or maybe even late -15.
Don't know if anyone has seen it but here is a video and autosport.com has an article today woith lots of high-res photos.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=22LFPyyT5to
Already two years a go there were rumors that Toyota would come first as a supplier of private cars. It might be like that. They can enter in 2015 with private teams but wait for 2017 with manufacturer entry.
I doubt they'll use private teams instead of a full manu entry.Quote:
Originally Posted by Mirek
We can't forget the global automotive leadership fight between Toyota and VW (and GM).
Any sort of direct confrontation between these giants will only be possible with equivalent use of force and means.
All these back and forward Toyota wrc steps can be somehow linked with the unusual role of TMG. Other manus uses their motorsport departments to undertake precise programs (previously sanctioned by their marketing structure).
Apart the Le Mans/WEC participation, TMG seems to be a sort of motorsport r&d center with autonomy to undertake different projects that later could have, or not, superior approval.
That's why Italia Motorsport involvement seems to be merely instrumental (if not, the drivers line up should have be different and TMG stickers wouldn't be visible).
At the end let's hope that this Yaris test timing makes possible a 2015 manu entry, if there's a quick decision from Toyota administration.
..or they are waiting for the new regulations when WRC cars will be Toyota Aygo, Citroen C1 etc. :hmph: :D