Quote Originally Posted by OldF View Post
Could you please then explain what you mean what you said.

“Tommi clearly sold Toyoda-san the dream over some long evenings in the sauna. Now he's got to actually produce.

It really seems like a maverick move for what is a major manufacturer programme. Because right now it just seems like Tommi is getting his mates together.”

Imo it isn’t normal “I wonder why Tommi Mäkinen got the deal”.
First point - I meant exactly what I said, as written. I'm pretty sure that's probably what happened. Toyoda came over to Finland last year and I read in Autosport that Tommi lobbied him to get this programme. So he surely had to convince Toyoda-san that his way was a better way than TMG - who assumed they would be getting the programme.

Second point - Again I think this is pretty clear. Tommi is bringing in people he's worked with (Zotos/Donaldson) and drivers he is friends with. I'm not saying that's not logical, and there's probably loads of recruitment going on behind the scenes. But the way everything has seemingly been put on Tommi makes it feel like TMR WRC Team rather than Toyota Gazoo WRC Team.

Please don't think what I am saying is anti-Finnish or something. That's your interpretation.