Toyota announces WRC plans

[pantealex]

Maybe thats why Latvala will have his lowest championship position in years and also the least number of wins in years this year....

He was 6th last year...
Let´s see if you are right!

[Rally Power]

Keep an eye out for a documentary called "TEAM" which follows Toyota's return to WRC. It is 1 hour long and looks at how relationship between Tommi & Toyota was formed then how the team gradually grew over 2015 & 2016. Finishes up just after Monte Carlo 2017 event. It is a must watch if you get the chance to see it.

Does the doc say why Mr. Toyoda changed his mind in July 2015, taking the WRC program from TMG and giving it to Makinen?

[Revman]

Does the doc say why Mr. Toyoda changed his mind in July 2015, taking the WRC program from TMG and giving it to Makinen?

This is a fascinating piece to me. This wasn't always in the plan?

[TWRC]

This is a fascinating piece to me. This wasn't always in the plan?

Originally, TMG built a Yaris based on the previous WRC regulations, and signed people like Hirvonen and Suninen to test it, you can find various videos of this car on Youtube. But later something happened (maybe TMG's disastrous performance at Le Mans?), and the project was given to Mäkinen.

[GigiGalliNo1]

Online perhaps we can watch this program?

[Rally Power]

This is a fascinating piece to me. This wasn't always in the plan?

Not really. TMG started developing a Yaris WRC during 2013. The first proto hit the road in 2014 but the car and the WRC program were only officially presented by Mr. Toyoda (aka Morizo) in Japan, during Toyota’s 2015 motorsport activities presentation. It was then told that Toyota would be back to WRC in 2017, via TMG. Surprisingly, Toyota announced in early July that Makinen was taking control of the WRC project. Till the end of ’15, while Makinen was assembling the new team, TMG continue testing their Yaris with Sarrazin, Lindholm, Camilli and Suninen as test drivers. It wasn’t clear what role TMG would have, as Makinen announced that his structure was developing a different car. During ‘16 we get to know that TMG was still implicated in the project as engine supplier, but this year some (unconfirmed) news mentioned Makinen was trying to get a replacement for the German made engines.

These are all known facts (previously mentioned in this thread), but the reason why Mr. Toyoda replaced TMG by Makinen Team never come out to public. We can only speculate that he got really pissed with TMG humiliating result at Le Mans '15 and stopped believing they could deliver a winning WRC car. Anyway, it would be nice to know what this documentary says about it.

Btw, most of TMG Yaris videos were removed from their YouTube channel but some official videos are still available:
https://youtu.be/o3ZW1m4z-FA
https://youtu.be/QY8A4m0g5aw
The same about official news:
http://newsroom.toyota.co.jp/en/deta...7b3vA.facebook
http://newsroom.toyota.co.jp/en/detail/8622687/

[racerx1979]

http://www.radiotimes.com/tv-program...episode-guide/

Not sure if this is the correct video or an old video, but either way it says episode 120 is about that return of Toyota to WRC

[Revman]

Not really. TMG started developing a Yaris WRC during 2013. The first proto hit the road in 2014 but the car and the WRC program were only officially presented by Mr. Toyoda (aka Morizo) in Japan, during Toyota’s 2015 motorsport activities presentation. It was then told that Toyota would be back to WRC in 2017, via TMG. Surprisingly, Toyota announced in early July that Makinen was taking control of the WRC project. Till the end of ’15, while Makinen was assembling the new team, TMG continue testing their Yaris with Sarrazin, Lindholm, Camilli and Suninen as test drivers. It wasn’t clear what role TMG would have, as Makinen announced that his structure was developing a different car. During ‘16 we get to know that TMG was still implicated in the project as engine supplier, but this year some (unconfirmed) news mentioned Makinen was trying to get a replacement for the German made engines.

These are all known facts (previously mentioned in this thread), but the reason why Mr. Toyoda replaced TMG by Makinen Team never come out to public. We can only speculate that he got really pissed with TMG humiliating result at Le Mans '15 and stopped believing they could deliver a winning WRC car. Anyway, it would be nice to know what this documentary says about it.

Btw, most of TMG Yaris videos were removed from their YouTube channel but some official videos are still available:
https://youtu.be/o3ZW1m4z-FA
https://youtu.be/QY8A4m0g5aw
The same about official news:
http://newsroom.toyota.co.jp/en/deta...7b3vA.facebook
http://newsroom.toyota.co.jp/en/detail/8622687/

Thank you so much......If Makinen doesn't go through TMG for the engines, where might he go? How does Toyota stay involved?

[sollitt]

Does the doc say why Mr. Toyoda changed his mind in July 2015, taking the WRC program from TMG and giving it to Makinen?

No. It's a 'feel good' promotion of Team TMR.

[sollitt]

Thank you so much......If Makinen doesn't go through TMG for the engines, where might he go? How does Toyota stay involved?

By writing cheques.