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Old 19 Jun 2017, 06:42 (Ref:3745082)   #5571
Coldasice
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Join Date: Dec 2013
Canada
Posts: 27
Coldasice should be qualifying in the top 10 on the grid
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Originally Posted by deggis View Post
TTE (Toyota Team Europe) transformed into TMG, which it is exactly what ran the rally program in the 1990s. (The current WRC car comes from different places. Engine from TMG, aero is developed in UK by some unnamed company and car is built in Tommi Makinen's tiny shop in Finland.)
Yes correct. My point was that most of the ex-TTE staff, who were there when TMG first started did not all stay. Also even with the staff that stayed, the staff makeup changed as Toyota hired various F1 people when the F1 program started. Key people like Ove Andersson either retired or left TMG as the F1 project went full speed ahead. People like Pascal Vasselon were hired, who has a key position at TMG now. Also people like Rob Leupen, who was hired in the mid 1990s just as TTE was transforming into TMG. Rob Leupen like Vasselon is also now a key staff member at TMG and the WEC program.

Currently I believe there are very few actual TTE employees still working at TMG. If there were many, then I'm sure Tommi Makinen would be much more willing to work closely with TMG on the WRC program. The rumor (which I believe) that Tommi Makinen wanted TMG to have as little to do with the WRC car as possible makes sense if very few original TTE members were left at TMG now. Tommi Makinen I'm sure would have very little interest in working with mostly F1 or ex-F1 people on a WRC program.
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