Toyota in F1

[Darin]

Just like to say that Toyota's entry into F1 should be welcomed 100%. It just goes to prove the 'holier than thou' attitude in F1, what with other teams going out of their way to make life difficult for Toyota. They should be greatful to have such an illustrious company wanting to bother with all the politics they will have to endure!

[Minardi fan]

I disagree completely. I'm all for another team on the grid but not one which believes it can march in and steal other teams' personnel. They've already poached staff from BAR and Minardi, who else is next?

Toyota have made enemies before they have even arrived in F1 - and I for one would love to see Paul Stoddart make them suffer in the courtroom.

[Speedworx]

I welcome new F1 teams, but Toyota stopped their rally and Le Mans programmes to go into F1. I believe this is wrong. F1 takes up too much of a companies time.

I also feel that the number of teams allowed in F1 should be increased to 15.

[Mekola]

Originally posted by Minardi fan
Toyota have made enemies before they have even arrived in F1 - and I for one would love to see Paul Stoddart make them suffer in the courtroom.

Stoddart lost his designer Gustav Brunner when he was under contract with Minardi, because he was engaged by Toyota. Because Toyota suffer a demand from Stoddart.
And if it was for the same Stoddart, perhaps you can watched him with his European Tyrrell F1 team in 1998, and not now with European Minardi in 2001. In 1997 Stoddart would like to buy Tyrrell, but the BAR operation presented a stronger offer and bought the team --eerr-- his place in F1. The rests of Tyrrell were forced to race during 1998 (BAR only paid for the place, and allow Tyrrell to race (not supporting the team during the season) to fill the void until BAR made the car), and finally the team quit F1 and gave his sold place to BAR. Later Stoddart bought many of the equipment of team Tyrrell and moved it to his home base in Ledbury.

[Mekola]

Ehem! Sorry Minardi Fan, I read wrong your post. But I'm not happy when Brunner moved to Toyota when he was under Minardi contract, I don't understand why Brunner must broke his contract if Newey didn't.

[Valve Bounce]

Originally posted by Minardi fan
I disagree completely. I'm all for another team on the grid but not one which believes it can march in and steal other teams' personnel. They've already poached staff from BAR and Minardi, who else is next?

Toyota have made enemies before they have even arrived in F1 - and I for one would love to see Paul Stoddart make them suffer in the courtroom.

I read somewhere that if Toyota insisted on testing during the non-test period of the F1 teams, the F1 teams will not agree to Toyota to join F1 until 2003.
Regarding Brunner, I am surprised Minardi have not placed a court injuction to bar Brunner from working at Toyota.
We need some legal advice from Liz on this.

[f1manoz]

Yes the Brunner and Newey sagas were remarkably similar, yet there was no fuss about the Brunner saga. Could that be because the Newey saga revolved around a force like McLaren and Jaguar while Minardi as seen as the bottom of the heap and therefore not as important? (Quite a conspiracy theory)

I was a real fan of Brunner, who for most of his career has worked with teams in midfield teams. But I lost all respect for him when he broke his contract with Minardi.

As for Toyota, I'm all for the team entering F1 but I think they should follow all rules of the F1 season, including observing the testing ban in November/December. They are already rubbing people up the wrong way and this could lead to bitter wrangles in their first year.

I would like Toyota to enter F1 without the furore surrounding the team which they appear to be creating.

[Minardi fan]

It's too late for that - both Paul Stoddart and Craig Pollock have already spoken out against them, and for once I agree with JV's other half .

Toyota have made many mistakes already, and have won no friends.

[Darin]

Where does it say that they have to make friends anyway!?
Minardi fan- Toyota do not believe thay can have other teams staff, they just do it! No worries!!
If many of these teams would stop crying about loosing staff and spent this energy on improving their teams and F1 from the farce it has become, we would all be better off.

[Mania]

Originally posted by Minardi fan
It's too late for that - both Paul Stoddart and Craig Pollock have already spoken out against them, and for once I agree with JV's other half .

Toyota have made many mistakes already, and have won no friends.

Both Stoddart and Pollock may be crying about Toyota's less than ethical antics however both these gentlemen need to look at themselves before pointing fingers at others. Mekola just pointed out what Stoddart was upto with Tyrell and as for Pollock - he conveniently forgot about ethics etc when he lured away key members of the Williams team in 1999. As I recall, Frank was not to happy about what happened at that point either.

So what Toyota are doing is not unprecedented - just look closely at what Pollock and BAR did 2 years ago.

[Minardi fan]

Originally posted by Darin
Toyota do not believe thay can have other teams staff, they just do it! No worries!!
If many of these teams would stop crying about loosing staff and spent this energy on improving their teams and F1 from the farce it has become, we would all be better off.

And just where do you think all of Minardi's energy goes??? Brunner was KEY to Minardi getting off the back of the grid.

Toyota deserve to fail in F1. Simple as that.

[Darin]

Originally posted by Minardi fan


And just where do you think all of Minardi's energy goes??? Brunner was KEY to Minardi getting off the back of the grid.

Toyota deserve to fail in F1. Simple as that.

Don't get me wrong, I reckon Minardi are one of the best teams out there. But remember, although brunners designs have produced efficiently performing cars, it is the engine department which is lacking. Only an improvement in this area will propel them up the grid. They should not be discounted as has beens just because Brunner has gone, as there are many other team members that still give it their all. The British journo's might slate Minardi at every opportunity, but lets get behind the guys in the team that are loyal and hope PS can secure an engine deal that will put them on a level playing field with Arrows, Prost, Jag and Benneton!

And I for one would love to see Toyota succeed, not least of all to see Allan McNish realise an overdue dream. Period!

[Bononi]

Darin, Welcome to the forum.

I realise your wish for Toyota.

But, what M fan said is in the flame of a passion. Minardi is not a small team, it is the cornerstone of what Formula One is. Minardi is today what Williams, McLaren, Ferrari were once.

F1 NEED THIS to keep on going.

Originally posted by Darin
And I for one would love to see Toyota succeed, not least of all to see Allan McNish realise an overdue dream. Period!

Good luck.