Toyota announces WRC plans

[Mirek]

...and now we'd only need to know, what is this "huge element of amateurism".

Ofcourse VW set a benchmark, but how come it's so hard to understand, that there was no "Ogier" for Tommi to sign? Tommi tried to sign Meeke first, didn't he? I guess that was amateurish as well then...

Don't know for sure what the mix is at Hyundai for example, but one third of the Toyota staff are not Finns... so yeah, "partizan attachments" indeed

Don't You think that if the drivers actually believed in Toyota success they would be willing to switch teams just like Ogier did with VW or Neuville did with Hyundai? They both went into unknown waters, especially Ogier who had to compete first year with S2000 car.

[Grundo Farb]

Just reading the ToyotaGazoo "Our Story" made my eyes bleed at the FinJapanglish...

http://toyotagazooracing.com/our-story/

[Brynmor Pierce]

We've actually got Jarmo Lehtinen joining us on stage next Wednesday night at http://www.thecrw.co.uk/rally-forum-2016
Going to be interesting as he's in the segment directly after Malcolm Wilson, so two perspectives on team management.

[Simmi]

Anyone seen any contract length for Hanninen? Have to assume it's a one-year deal.


What Tommi's team have in 2017 is a 'prove it' year. I'm not sure Hanninen is ultimately the guy to do that - but I can't fault Tommi signing him at all. They needed someone who was effectively out of contract and could test the car all year and gain familiarity. Meeke didn't want it, Hirvonen didn't want it. Solberg/Loeb - who knows? Not sure if they were even asked, but the point is there were so few drivers who fitted that spec.

Anyone else you sign can't 'officially' drive your car until after the season so Tommi was backed into a corner. Plus he now has a willing 'team guy' in his driver squad. Which can be beneficial over a diva top-three talent in some ways when you're getting started.

But this is a prove it year. So the biggest question for me is who drives the third car? Do they go the mercenary route and take a guy like Ostberg with a bit of money. All he will prove is your reliability. When really you need someone to showcase speed.

[Allez Andruet]

Anyone seen any contract length for Hanninen? Have to assume it's a one-year deal.

From TGR press release:

He has signed a one-year contract, with an option to extend beyond 2017.

[dimviii]

Teemu / Rallirinki ‏@HartusvuoriWRC

Local newspaper @ksmlfi turn to visit Mäkinen's @TGR_WRC garage. They are currently building three on six chassises to start 2017. #WRC2017

[pantealex]

They are building 3 cars to every driver, MC and SWE with 1st, MEX with 2nd, 3rd is spare one. Before MC they will have 6 cars ready.

They have 4 cars now, all test versions, competition model will be different, wider from door area etc.

Kalle Rovanperä has tested twice.

Total 12000km driven already, Hänninen 6000km, Tommi 3000km

[bluuford]

Now, I still can't get my head around how a company which already has a track record of success in the sport, with an existing facility that has all the requirements including a strategic location would set something else up in a shed in Finland...
If Toyoda wanted Tommi as team principal then fine but to duplicate everything is crazy.

Work with Japanese and you can understand it. My boss is Japanese The most important thing is relationship another thing is good connections between Japan and their facilities in Europe. The shortest and the most comfortable flight you can take from Japan is to Helsinki. Basically you go to sleep (in the evening) in business class and you wake up in the morning add several more hours to mid Germany, and double it with return flight.. and now multiply it with staff number

This is very-very clear to me. At least 10 Japanese researchers visit our small institute every year and only one of them has bothered to proceed to centra Europe.

[Simmi]

They are building 3 cars to every driver, MC and SWE with 1st, MEX with 2nd, 3rd is spare one. Before MC they will have 6 cars ready.

They have 4 cars now, all test versions, competition model will be different, wider from door area etc.

Kalle Rovanperä has tested twice.

Total 12000km driven already, Hänninen 6000km, Tommi 3000km

Good info. A lot of cars and kilometres. But am I correct - still 0km of dedicated tarmac testing?

[Mirek]

But am I correct - still 0km of dedicated tarmac testing?

I hope You are wrong. I can't imagine that to be true with just few weeks remaining before homologation process starts.