Toyota announces WRC plans

[Simmi]

I don't know this for a fact but I'd also be amazed if Breen wasn't added to that list of Tommi's after his performance in Finland. For sure that interview will have been done earlier during the rally week.

[pantealex]

Those cars (#1 #2 and #3) are all made from standard road cars taken from product line which is in France. In always exactly same that you see in Toyota stores, ie. complete road cars!
Those actual rally-cars will be made from new body-shells, not from complete cars.

[itix]

Those cars (#1 #2 and #3) are all made from standard road cars taken from product line which is in France. In always exactly same that you see in Toyota stores, ie. complete road cars!
Those actual rally-cars will be made from new body-shells, not from complete cars.

Well that sounds reasonable to me since TMR built a car from scratch rather than continue what TMG did.

What I thought was meant with 2015 mule car was that it was one of the TMGs with 2017 internals which makes about zero sense since it is known that TMR built the cars from scratch instead of continuing the work of TMG.

What does concern me is that the homologation is in October which is soon. At that point they need to know the dimensions and weight of almost every single component on the car and present this to the FIA. If Hyundai got a fine for a window, how many things won't there be on the body shell that TMR (and Ford which is in the same boat) will have to guess. Or is the homologation just for the moving parts so far?

[Simmi]

Off the back of the Autosport article VF interviewed Tidemand about Toyota.

http://www.vf.se/sport/bilsport/tidemand-aktuell-toyota

Saying all the right things, including that he'd be happy to spend another year in WRC2. A couple of rounds ago his stock was higher than Lappi I thought. But a mistake in Finland and then whatever happened to break the ball joint in Poland have not helped him. Key rallies at the moment for these WRC2 guys.

[EstWRC]

http://www.rallye-magazin.de/wm/nach...-koenigsfigur/

This site now telling that Neuville is the main key . Autosport didn't mention him at all but I guess this is what user pantelaex meant when he said Tänak isn't the only WRC driver.

[Simmi]

http://www.rallye-magazin.de/wm/nach...-koenigsfigur/

This site now telling that Neuville is the main key . Autosport didn't mention him at all but I guess this is what user pantelaex meant when he said Tänak isn't the only WRC driver.

Yeah very interesting. It kind of reads like Tommi mentioned Thierry in the same press briefing? For sure Neuville is the key, in the sense that he's the biggest name driver available and currently occupies one of the best seats in the WRC.

I thought also Ostberg was in the mix, but maybe recent performances have put Toyota off?

[tomhlord]

I thought also Ostberg was in the mix, but maybe recent performances have put Toyota off?

Probably true. For me Ostberg is a 3rd driver if the rules let you run 3 cars, with the first 2 to finish scoring manufacturer points. A safe pair of hands to get points on the board. But if those aren't the rule, then IMHO, he shouldn't be on the Toyota list. More likely his budget goes to Malcom in 2017.

[Rallyper]

Tidemand had 3,8 secs on Sunninen before last stage. He went for it and didn´t succeed, however he showed great sisu and it might be a positive thing for him.

[CWJ]

Tidemand had 3,8 secs on Sunninen before last stage. He went for it and didn´t succeed, however he showed great sisu and it might be a positive thing for him.

For powerstage Tidemand was suddenly first in the road. In my opinion that was his real problem while pushing.

[Rally Power]

Those cars (#1 #2 and #3) are all made from standard road cars taken from product line which is in France. In always exactly same that you see in Toyota stores, ie. complete road cars!
Those actual rally-cars will be made from new body-shells, not from complete cars.

That’s even more confusing…why didn’t they get new shells from the production line to make the test cars?

Probably I’m wrong, but from Fowler’s words I’ve got the impression that Toyota is going to release a new Yaris model and TMR will be able to homologate a WRC version in time for next season, as they’ll use the mechanical components they’ve been testing (designed under 2017 rules).

Anyway, current TMR’s test cars and the previous ones from TMG can be quite different, but they’re both based on the 2010 production model, that got an Aygo inspired facelift in late 2014 (2015 MY), already incorporated on TMR’s cars.