The never ending Toyota return to Le Mans (LMP1) Saga

[AGD]

Originally Posted by deggis

"Initially the programme is only confirmed for the 2012 season"

This will probably be cleared when they announce the other details.

We'll see. I doubt we'll get any sort of definitive answer on how long they plan on racing as a factory team unless it truly is a 1 or 2 year program. We'll see though.

I never thought of it until you posted that image, but is there any chance that Yokohama may start up an LMP program? I know the context of that image is way different, but it's just a thought.

[deggis]

(From Collins' story obviously): One of those areas is the brand that the car will race under, it could be a TMG, a Toyota or even a Lexus

What would be the difference between TMG and Toyota? "Toyota Motorsport Gmbh" vs. "Toyota Racing"?

[DeutschRenn]

Probably the same difference between HPD and Honda.... One appears to be a performance consulting Arm that does work for more than just the car company(HPD in california, ToyotaGmbH-in germany) and the other is the car companies based in Japan

[joeb]

Originally Posted by deggis

http://www.ultimatecarpage.com/car/4...G-EV-P001.html


Saw this on another forum, but would have been one my guesses too.

Thanks, I wonder how much tech from that project will show up in the LMP?

[Tom908V12]

Mmmmh...interesting that Frank Montagny gives "advice" to Toyota to chose one or several Peugeot and AUDI current drivers in 2012

[gustavobamba]

Originally Posted by Tom908V12

Mmmmh...interesting that Frank Montagny gives "advice" to Toyota to chose one or several Peugeot and AUDI current drivers in 2012

I´m thinking in Wurz and Lamy from Peugeot

From Audi I really don´t know who!!!!!

[Acid09]

Originally Posted by gustavobamba

I´m thinking in Wurz and Lamy from Peugeot

From Audi I really don´t know who!!!!!

I highly doubt Lamy will get another factory driver after his poor performance with Peugeot & BMW this year.

The discussions about the driver squads haven't been this interesting for years. If Toyota could get Wurz and Lotterer as development drivers, they would be getting tons of info on their competitors as well.

[vyselegend]

Originally Posted by Tom908V12

Mmmmh...interesting that Frank Montagny gives "advice" to Toyota to chose one or several Peugeot and AUDI current drivers in 2012

Source?

[gwyllion]

Originally Posted by vyselegend

Source?

http://www.lemans.org/en/news/Franck...yota_5448.html (English)
http://www.lemans.org/fr/actualites/...yota_5443.html (French)

[DeutschRenn]

Originally Posted by Acid09

I highly doubt Lamy will get another factory driver after his poor performance with Peugeot & BMW this year.

The discussions about the driver squads haven't been this interesting for years. If Toyota could get Wurz and Lotterer as development drivers, they would be getting tons of info on their competitors as well.

I dont think it quite works like that. Don't they sign some kind of non-disclosure agreement? Rememebr when Pagenaud refused to compare the acura and the peugeot...simply saing theyre two completely different cars. And in addition i would not want to hire a driver who was willing to spill all the beans about his former employer....that just means that when he leaves my team he's going to spill all the beans about me. Id like to imagine the drivers had a bit of integrity.

[Dead-Eye]

Originally Posted by DeutschRenn

sorry im not sure? do you mean racing license? or drivers license? thats not surprising he lives in japan, and could pass as a japanese for that matter.

Racing license. The ACO always uses the country issuing a driver's license - I think McNish always has a Monegasque flag because of that as well.

[vyselegend]

Originally Posted by gwyllion

http://www.lemans.org/en/news/Franck...yota_5448.html (English)
http://www.lemans.org/fr/actualites/...yota_5443.html (French)

Thanks.

Indeed it's a strange statement, sounds really like he's inviting Toyota to make him an offer...

Could it be that he still have some strong conections there?

On a similar note, autohebdo published an (french) interview of Andre Loterrer about the Toyota situation. (google translated in english here ).

He's vague, but certainly doesn't rule out switching camps, and admits he's discussing the program with Toyota "every week ends".

It would be great to have such a strong japanese driver in Toyota! (sorry DeutschRenn, couldn't resist...)

[DeutschRenn]

Its such a tough decision for Andre mainly in part because Andre won Lemans this year with Audi. I think that had he not won this year he would have no problem jumping ship. Theres no reason to leave Audi. It may jsut come down to preference..Does he want people to think of him as German(which he is part)....Or Japanese(whoes culture he seems to have adopted).

[The Badger]

Originally Posted by gustavobamba

I´m thinking in Wurz and Lamy from Peugeot

From Audi I really don´t know who!!!!!

Minnassian-Wurz-Brabham . From Audi Lotterer , maybe Capello . Lotterer gets one drive with Audi , maybe the thought of a full season will be enticing to him .

[LeMans.pt]

Originally Posted by Acid09

I highly doubt Lamy will get another factory driver after his poor performance with Peugeot & BMW this year.

Poor? Define me poor?

[Acid09]

Originally Posted by LeMans.pt

Poor? Define me poor?

Spining the 908 at Sebring, causing BMW to lose their shot at the 24h Nürburgring by going backwards on track, generally being slower than his co-drivers ... poor enough?

Sorry, I like Pedro as a guy but there recently has been a drastic drop of performance by him. Making the odd mistake is one thing if you´re a quick guy... but being both error-prone and not quick means you're not works driver-material anymore.

[Simmi]

Originally Posted by Acid09

Spining the 908 at Sebring, causing BMW to lose their shot at the 24h Nürburgring by going backwards on track, generally being slower than his co-drivers ... poor enough?

Sorry, I like Pedro as a guy but there recently has been a drastic drop of performance by him. Making the odd mistake is one thing if you´re a quick guy... but being both error-prone and not quick means you're not works driver-material anymore.

Plus the extremely low percentage move at Spa which wrote off the RML car.


EDIT: The way I interpreted the Montagny comments were that he knows that some of his team-mates are moving on and is encouraging Toyota to contact them. I imagine the rest of the guys will have signed contracts with Pug or have the option to.

[kurski]

Originally Posted by Tom908V12

Mmmmh...interesting that Frank Montagny gives "advice" to Toyota to chose one or several Peugeot and AUDI current drivers in 2012

I think this speaks Montagny, but who the driver could leave the Peugeot or Audi teams, the new Toyota team. Mayde Lamy or Wurz?

Originally Posted by vyselegend

On a similar note, autohebdo published an (french) interview of Andre Loterrer about the Toyota situation. (google translated in english here ).

He's vague, but certainly doesn't rule out switching camps, and admits he's discussing the program with Toyota "every week ends".

It would be great to have such a strong japanese driver in Toyota! (sorry DeutschRenn, couldn't resist...)

Lotterer I think that might be a good confirmation of Toyota team, but he is the contract Audi Sport with.

[Mr Pink]

I was under the impression that Lotterer was on loan to Audi from Toyota?

[kurski]

Originally Posted by Mr Pink

I was under the impression that Lotterer was on loan to Audi from Toyota?

In fact I had the same perception, because I think Lotterer is the property of Toyota, and they decide what he is doing.


I think Toyota should also consider a card named: former Toyota F1 testdriver Ricardo Zonta.

[CTD]

Originally Posted by kurski

In fact I had the same perception, because I think Lotterer is the property of Toyota, and they decide what he is doing.


I think Toyota should also consider a card named: former Toyota F1 testdriver Ricardo Zonta.

Toyota have had a lot of F1 drivers who could be a good entry. (Trulli?, Ralp Schumacher?)

[Acid09]

Lotterer is a Toyota works driver, Treluyer is a Nissan guy.. both have only been on loan out to Audi, much as Dumas & Bernhardt.

That's Audi's big problem, take away the loan drivers and they don't have enough drivers to even fill two cars.

[kurski]

Originally Posted by CTD

Toyota have had a lot of F1 drivers who could be a good entry. (Trulli?, Ralp Schumacher?)

Yes, I remember when in 2009, was the rumor that Trulli should Le Mans Toyota with a three-year contract, so however never took place. Ralf Schumacher is worth mentioning, but he would be in favor of Le Mans drivers.

[Simmi]

Would be interesting to see whether Ralf values his place in the DTM.

I'm not an expert on the series anymore given I lost interest in it a couple of years ago but I imagine that there will be less Mercs and less Audi's running in 2012 due to the new cars and BMW's entry.

So less cars = drivers on the market. Would love to see the likes of Oliver Jarvis coming to sportscars.

[kurski]

Originally Posted by ss_collins

Not sure you will - but there will be lots of Japanese drivers. I expect Lotterer, Couto, Ara, Ito, Nakajima, Hirate and then a smattering of others.

I think that the Japanese drivers Kazuki Nakajima is Toyota's first choice. Hirate could be a big question mark, what about the retired Takagi, if he could come back I do not believe it. Seiji Ara would be an experienced driver, and Ito is also pretty good.