Toyota announces WRC plans

[Mirek]

Nobody is overlooking his handicap. It affects him for sure but it changes nothing. Facts say that he isn't able to finish rallies. It doesn't matter how fast, how spectacular or how handicapped he is if he can't get to the finish ramp. I know it sounds harsh but that's how it is. I wish he was able to do that but I don't believe in that anymore. It took too long without any sign of change.

[OldF]

Sorry for interrupting the Kubica discussion but here’s something about Toyota.

http://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/mo...ampaign=buffer

[Jack4688`]

Sorry for interrupting the Kubica discussion but here’s something about Toyota.

http://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/mo...ampaign=buffer

Nothing new here, other than now even Autocar are also allowing David Evans to turn all of three sentences from someone into a full story. It won't be long before he is allowed to write his crap in all of haymarket's outlets, Pistonheads will be next!

[Mariusz]

Let's go back to the topic - how could Kubica help TMR to develop their cars? Pushing a car to the limit doesn't seem the right thing for the job, but analyse how the car behaves under different circumstances. So how does he know what is better for the car to go faster?

Here is my quick list how/why:
As a person he has over 20 years of competitive driving experience on tarmac, up to the most professional level in the world which means he has extensive practical and theoretical knowledge of how to drive, test and setup a car for asphalt. He has a very good ability to work with engineers and explain all the issues he notices. This was his strong side when he was in F1 and in the last season he was working a lot on the car between the rallies in their garage so I would image he knows quite a lot about the inside of a rally car now. He's very committed, passionate and puts a lot of attention to details when he's working on something. It may bother some types of people but what TMR is saying everywhere they really need people with passion and commitment. As a driver he is in top 4 of fastest rally drivers in the world, so I'm sure he knows what needs to be done for a car to go faster.

[stefanvv]

Here is my quick list how/why:
As a person he has over 20 years of competitive driving experience on tarmac, up to the most professional level in the world which means he has extensive practical and theoretical knowledge of how to drive, test and setup a car for asphalt. He has a very good ability to work with engineers and explain all the issues he notices. This was his strong side when he was in F1 and in the last season he was working a lot on the car between the rallies in their garage so I would image he knows quite a lot about the inside of a rally car now. He's very committed, passionate and puts a lot of attention to details when he's working on something. It may bother some types of people but what TMR is saying everywhere they really need people with passion and commitment. As a driver he is in top 4 of fastest rally drivers in the world, so I'm sure he knows what needs to be done for a car to go faster.

Yes, I'm sure he knows how to setup his car for asphalt to be very fast for him. That's not what is bothering me, what is bothering me is he capable to guide for a correct setup for a rally stage, not just for him, but for any other driver who might drive that car. From what I've seen he has different approach of driving, involving very late braking and over-steering on corner exits. Besides as I read somewhere Makkinen is not that kind of driver to develop his car 100% fast during tests, so there might be conflict with ones and other approach.

[Mirek]

The fastest setup isn't always the best as the rally doesn't cover 4 kilometers but 400. The ideal solution is often tricky to find and it's quite hard to believe it can be find by someone who can't finish himself. Anyway development work is mostly given to someone who has a strong reputation. Very often the best development drivers aren't the fastest ones around - Mark Higgins, Sebastian Lindholm, Roman Kresta, Philippe Bugalski, Freddy Loix, Raimund Baumschlager or others made a lot of job in development of cars without being world champions.

[Lundefaret]

Yes, I'm sure he knows how to setup his car for asphalt to be very fast for him. That's not what is bothering me, what is bothering me is he capable to guide for a correct setup for a rally stage, not just for him, but for any other driver who might drive that car. From what I've seen he has different approach of driving, involving very late braking and over-steering on corner exits. Besides as I read somewhere Makkinen is not that kind of driver to develop his car 100% fast during tests, so there might be conflict with ones and other approach.

Hello stefanvv: To clar up a little misunderstandng: Mäkinen wants to develop a car that is 100% fast during Development testing. Pre Event Testing is another matter. But M¨kinen ha a very Clear approach to how he wants a rally car to behave. Mäkinens prolem is that non of the drivers available knows how to drive a car that handles like that, except Ogier. So either Mäkinen has to teach them, and for these guys opening their minds to that can be very difficult., or he has to develop a car that is not so edgy, so that more drivers can drive it, but then it wont be as fast.

[stefanvv]

Hello stefanvv: To clar up a little misunderstandng: Mäkinen wants to develop a car that is 100% fast during Development testing. Pre Event Testing is another matter. But M¨kinen ha a very Clear approach to how he wants a rally car to behave. Mäkinens prolem is that non of the drivers available knows how to drive a car that handles like that, except Ogier. So either Mäkinen has to teach them, and for these guys opening their minds to that can be very difficult., or he has to develop a car that is not so edgy, so that more drivers can drive it, but then it wont be as fast.

Yes I know the developed car must be tested at 100% at certain point, but my point was more like it shouldn't be "reverse engineered" by that behaviour for just 1 driver, more like make it stable/strong and fast enough for a few drivers, so it might have potential for further "fine tuning" for every driver.
I agree though Ogier is the perfect man for this job currently on the field, and then his driving and Kubica's (for the context of the discussion) are very different. Both very fast, but the former knows what is needed to bring it to the finish winning the event.

[Mirek]

Hello stefanvv: To clar up a little misunderstandng: Mäkinen wants to develop a car that is 100% fast during Development testing. Pre Event Testing is another matter. But M¨kinen ha a very Clear approach to how he wants a rally car to behave. Mäkinens prolem is that non of the drivers available knows how to drive a car that handles like that, except Ogier. So either Mäkinen has to teach them, and for these guys opening their minds to that can be very difficult., or he has to develop a car that is not so edgy, so that more drivers can drive it, but then it wont be as fast.

Since Polo is partially based on Fabia design it might be interesting for Mäkinen to try to attract drivers who were involved in Škoda developement testing. Kopecký is out of question, Hänninen might be already hired but there is still also Loix, Baumschlager or Kresta. Baumschlager is rather old and strongly tied to Škoda but the other two are quite free, having their own networks of specialists and very close ties with Reiger (may be advantage or disadvange in the same time).

[Rally Power]

Toyota testing line up completed: Hirvonen; Haninnen and Bouffier.

For 2017 Makinen is looking for Lappi and Suninen's already linked with the team.

It seems there are already plenty of good drivers to make a strong WRC return!

http://www.motorsport.com/wrc/news/h...toyota-670281/
http://www.motorsport.com/wrc/news/t...r-2017-670916/