[WEC] Toyota LMP1 Discussion

[TF110]

They claim because "it has direction from Japan" that somehow theres a falling out at TMG. Well, TMG get directions from Japan as well. The TS030/040 projects have Japanese figureheads at the front. Yoshiaki Kinoshita is PRESIDENT of TMG. The man in charge of the THS-R (powertrain) Hisatake Murata, is TMC's General Manager of hybrid racing projects. His new post is TMC General Manager Motorsport Unit Development Division. The same man was leader of the Supra HV-R that used the supercap in 2007's Tokachi 24hr win. http://www.toyotahybridracing.com/team/management/

[MyNameIsNigel]

Still surprising to hear that a "competing" WRC project is apparently getting the support of Akio Toyoda himself, while TMG are working on their own WRC-related project...

[TF110]

Originally Posted by MyNameIsNigel

Still surprising to hear that a "competing" WRC project is apparently getting the support of Akio Toyoda himself, while TMG are working on their own WRC-related project...

The Yaris is a testbed. I doubt the GT86 is a package thatd be able to take on the manufacturers. This seems like a small project. If they want a top flight wrc car, they better go with TMG. And the rule change is suppose to be in 2017, a year after or the same time a new 86 is introduced. Seems like a waste of time to go full on anytime in the nextyear or two.

[Victor_RO]

Mike Conway will race in the #7 Toyota at CoTA, replacing Kaz Nakajima who has other racing commitments in Japan.

http://www.toyotahybridracing.com/mi...-racing-debut/

[joeb]

That is great news for Mike! Can't wait to see how he gets on in the TS040.

[Articus]

Originally Posted by Victor_RO

Mike Conway will race in the #7 Toyota at CoTA, replacing Kaz Nakajima who has other racing commitments in Japan.

http://www.toyotahybridracing.com/mi...-racing-debut/

If Nakajima has conflicting Super Formula duty, doesn't that mean Andre Lotterer of Audi also has conflict?...

[J Jay]

Maybe his contract gives priority to LMP (Audi) duties?

[TF110]

Autosport has some more info...

Hes tested the car at Aragon earlier this year, and it seems theyll be testing again later this month before Austin. My guess is a new rear wing solution will be part of that

[chernaudi]

Lotterer and Duval both missed a late season SF race last year to race at Shanghai, which did lock up the title ironically for Duval I think since Andre was the only driver who had a real shot at overhauling Loic for the title.

I think that Andre has prioritized the WEC for the drivers' title and Loic already missed one SF race at least because of the LM accident. And he's also out of a shot of winning the WEC drivers' title, but I think that he'll run the rest of the season knowing that he has nothing to lose but has a lot to gain for Tom and Lucas.

It seems that on Toyota's end that they and Kaz have prioritized home based championships for Kaz.

[TF110]

Kaz has a super schedule. If he were to do the wec race in Austin, hed have 5 different races in 6 different weeks. Super GT, Super Formula and WEC. This season he prioritized WEC over SGT, but they cant stress him too much. So staying in Japan to do SGT and SF then 6hr Fuji is a better situation.

First up is Super GT the 1000km Suzuka on Aug. 31. Then Super Formula has a race at Autopolis Sep. 13-14 and a race at Sugo Sep. 27-28. If he did Austin, he'd fly to the U.S. the week before Sugo on Sep. 20. Then back to Super Formula. But instead he skips that and goes to Super GT at Thailand Oct. 5. And of course one week later WEC at Fuji on Oct. 12.

[Alex Langheck]

Originally Posted by TF110

The Yaris is a testbed. I doubt the GT86 is a package thatd be able to take on the manufacturers. This seems like a small project. If they want a top flight wrc car, they better go with TMG. And the rule change is suppose to be in 2017, a year after or the same time a new 86 is introduced. Seems like a waste of time to go full on anytime in the nextyear or two.

I think they're just evaluating all possibilities. At the moment TMG in Koln ( I still call them TTE) are testing a Yaris, that may become a WRC, or a customer R5. They are also testing a GT-86 CS-R3 that will run on Rallye Deutschland later this month.
The TMR GT-86 is just a private car for President Toyoda; and is using Impreza running gear if you hear it.

I personally hope that the future 2017 regs allow for bigger cars, and that the Toyota WRCar is GT-86 based. It looks how a Rallycar should look - a small Yaris hatch simply doesn't.

[Articus]

It's looks like this "story" is coming apart. The GT86 WRC that Tomi Makinen has already been built and was just a rebodied Subaru Impreza WRC car that ran a stage of rally finland. Mr. Toyoda wants the company to enter WRC, but he's fighting the bean counters ("Nobody listens to the president" - he says). Realistically, TMG would build the WRC car in whatever form for 2017.

[hondafan37]

Originally Posted by Alex Langheck

I think they're just evaluating all possibilities. At the moment TMG in Koln ( I still call them TTE) are testing a Yaris, that may become a WRC, or a customer R5. They are also testing a GT-86 CS-R3 that will run on Rallye Deutschland later this month.
The TMR GT-86 is just a private car for President Toyoda; and is using Impreza running gear if you hear it.

I personally hope that the future 2017 regs allow for bigger cars, and that the Toyota WRCar is GT-86 based. It looks how a Rallycar should look - a small Yaris hatch simply doesn't.

This could be the livery
http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=51175

[Alex Langheck]

Why would it run with Castrol livery?? Surely it would be Total, same as the TS040.....

[TF110]

http://twitter.com/RacecarEngineer/s...21877885214722
Doesnt affect the Yaris. Autosport was reaching. Theyre good at that it seems.

[CTD]

I'm starting to miss the connection to the Toyota TS040

[Adam43]

Too scared to try the Rallying & Rallycross forum?
There was a Toyota Rally thread in there, but it was just a funny. Could be worth a new one?
I could copy these posts across, but most people like typing the same thing again.

[TF110]

Originally Posted by CTD

I'm starting to miss the connection to the Toyota TS040

If what Autosport was stating were true, there may be no more TS040.

[CTD]

Originally Posted by TF110

If what Autosport was stating were true, there may be no more TS040.

How much of what Autosport is stating is true!?

But that's now what the discussion was about. That was about the Rally program itself, not the TS040 connection

[TF110]

Originally Posted by CTD

How much of what Autosport is stating is true!?

But that's now what the discussion was about. That was about the Rally program itself, not the TS040 connection

They were claiming a falling out between TMC and TMG, and the surprise rally car was an indication of that. Of course thats just silly. But, just in case Im hoping they win the wec manufacturer and driver title so the board are in agreement this program should continue and grow.

[MyNameIsNigel]

My attention has been drawn to the fact that Chris Hebert, Head of Aerodynamics at TMG, seems to have left his position with TMG at the end of June (source: LinkedIn profile).

Any official information about this ?

[CyberMotor]

Originally Posted by MyNameIsNigel

My attention has been drawn to the fact that Chris Hebert, Head of Aerodynamics at TMG, seems to have left his position with TMG at the end of June (source: LinkedIn profile).

Any official information about this ?

If so, wondering if this could be fallout from the rear wing issue?

[Bandicoot17]

Doubt it, says he's been with Flowmotion since 2013 (So must have been an overlapping period with TMG)

Guys been in Motorsports for 15 years too, probably wants a change of scenery.

[TF110]

Havent seen this posted here before

Detail of the splitter 'feet', top- high downforce/ bottom- low downforce

[MyNameIsNigel]

Toyota Racing are testing at Magny-Cours with what appears to be the LM-spec TS040 (source: endurance-info.com)

Mike Conway was apparently on duty to gather miles with the TS040: