Toyota & Prodrive to WRC?

[Matador]

Bidding to form a team in 2011 was too great a risk for Prodrive, the famous motor racing brand's boss David Richards has admitted.
The Briton and Aston Martin chief had attempted to form a team in previous years, but said in April that Prodrive will instead concentrate on world rallying and sports car racing.
On Sunday, he is quoted as saying the decision was driven by his concern for his 579 staff.

Full Story

[GolddustMini]

Originally Posted by MatadorRacing_F1

Full Story

[/SIZE][/FONT]

why would toyota dismiss TTE (which I presume they still have control over who have a wealth of experience in rallying to instead outsource it to prodrive?

[Matador]

Originally Posted by GolddustMini

why would toyota dismiss TTE (which I presume they still have control over who have a wealth of experience in rallying to instead outsource it to prodrive?

Maybe I put the wrong title? If you click the link to the full story it says that cologne would collaborate with prodrive.

[Gil Abobeleira]

But isn't Prodrive doing the future Mini WRC car?

[Matador]

Originally Posted by Gil Abobeleira

But isn't Prodrive doing the future Mini WRC car?

ni idea.

[BertMk2]

Prodrive was heavily rumoured to be involved in a WRC project based on the new MINI crossover but that does seem to have gone very quiet. An announcement was expected at a motor show recently (Geneva?) but it passed off with no mention of the WRC project so it may have fallen off the radar as far as the MINI is concerned.

Toyota have been rumoured to have been looking at WRC, WTCC and DTM so it's not a given that they'll enter the WRC. The Prodrive link does sound promising though.

[broadrun96]

And Prodrive would be smart enough to run the legal turbos and keep the team on the track for the full season.

[I Rosputnik]

Any idea what car they would use, Yaris, Corolla, or even the Lexus HS?

[BertMk2]

I'd be guessing the Corolla - but does anyone know if Toyota have got any new versions of their models coming out? If there's a new Corolla it may be that but then again if a new Yaris is on its way then that may be the one. It makes sense to use a new model for promotional purposes.

[tbtstt]

I doubt it will be ready for next years season (as it seems doubtful it will be in the showrooms by then), but a WRC version of the forthcoming FT-86 would be rather awesome.

Of all the cars in the Toyota range at the moment, the Corolla would probably best fit the bill, wouldn't it?

[1975DCS]

Originally Posted by tbtstt

I doubt it will be ready for next years season (as it seems doubtful it will be in the showrooms by then), but a WRC version of the forthcoming FT-86 would be rather awesome.

Of all the cars in the Toyota range at the moment, the Corolla would probably best fit the bill, wouldn't it?

I think the new Prius would be nice too! Not the old one, but the latest, not Hybrid ofcourse...

[BertMk2]

I'd assume that this would be for the 2012 season? I don't think there's enough time to get a credible entry up and running between now and the start of the 2011 season.