Not so sure what to read into this. Sounds like a bit of demotion for Tommi?
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Not so sure what to read into this. Sounds like a bit of demotion for Tommi?
For me it seems that it was because of money. If the profits (before tax) for Tommi Mäkinen Racing Oy from the past previous years have been so high and let's not forget, there is also a salary (in 2017 it was 1.7 m€), then maybe they felt that they are being robbed. And as I understand from the article then even the Finnish and Estonian bases are taken away from Tommi. Please correct me if I'm wrong but the article said that "Both sites (Finnish base and Estonian) have been acquired by Toyota."
So it is more useful for Toyota to give some fancy position with base salary to Tommi than pay enormous money for him through rally.
Tommi Mäkinen Racing Oy
2017 - 67 m€ / 8.6m€ (turnover/profit before tax)
2018 - 60 m€ / 4.5 m€ (turnover/profit before tax)
2019 - 47.3 m€ / 3.8 m€ (turnover/profit before tax)
https://m.facebook.com/story.php?sto...content_filter
Seems like toyota did buy out all Makinen's wrc business
What I wanted to add was that you just don't replace successful team principals. Horner has run RB in F1 15 years (since 2005), Toto also has had many years, so you don't want to break a winning combination.
Until this, Toyota has paid TMR for running their WRC cars. Now Toyota is using their own team to run their WRC cars. And a part of this new team facilities and personnel were acquired from TMR.
interesting finding.. since 30th July 2020 the Tommi Mäkinen Racing Oü (Estonian side company) has third management board member, an Estonian lawyer. So something is clearly happening, why else would they bring a lawyer to the management..