Interview with Tommi Mäkinen

In 2017, Toyota effectuera son retour sur la scène des rallyes mondiaux, après avoir quitté le WRC end of 1999 and having already marked the history of the discipline with three Manufacturers' titles in 1993, 1994 and 1999, and four Drivers' titles for Carlos Sainz (1990? 1992), Juha Kankkunen (1993) and Didier Auriol (1994).

Recently appointed Team Principal of the Toyota Gazoo Racing WRC team, the Finn Tommi Makinen will also return to the highest level of the rally, who dominated the Drivers' championship four consecutive times between 1996 and 1999.

The former Mitsubishi driver spoke with AUTOhebdo and returned to several points of the project. The Finn confirmed that the latter would be based on cooperation between TMG (Toyota Motorsport GmbH), TMC (Toyota Motor Corporation) and Tommi Mäkinen Racing. Concerning in particular the car that will be used, Mäkinen admits that discussions are going well on this aspect.

“The technical rules change in 2017. On the one hand, it's good for us, because everyone will have to build a new car. The aerodynamics will be different, the tracks will be wider, the suspension will need to be re-examined. The engine will be new, as will the transmission, with the adoption of a controlled central differential.

All of these components will be different from today's WRCs, as well as the Yaris WRC (used in testing by the TMG division in Cologne). We are studying the possibility of taking parts of this Yaris and updating them. »

Find our full interview with Tommi Mäkinen, in issue 2023 of AUTOhebdo, available now in digital version, and on newsstands tomorrow.