Toyota has resolved Tänak's brake problem in Germany

Ott Tänak and Martin Jarveoja (Toyota) auraient pu prétendre aux points de la Power Stage du Rally of Germany 2019 without a sudden brake failure. The Estonian duo, still winner of the 10th round of the 2019 World Rally Championship (WRC), benefited from an analysis by Toyota Gazoo Racing to determine the causes of this damage.

The team's chief engineer, Tom Fowler, explains his findings. “This concern was caused by a break-in problem. The pads and disc did not mate perfectly and as the stages progressed, there was a deterioration in the brake attack”

 As a result, the Yaris WRC was unstable when braking. “It is possible that this fatherpine was present for a while and only appeared in Germany, where braking forces and temperatures are higher », continues the engineer. 

From the next meeting in Turkey (September 13-15), another process will be put in place within the team. A more traditional method. “We have a machine that brings the pads and discs together automatically and the data told us that the job was done normally. So, the first change is the simplest, it involves the drivers breaking in the brakes themselves. 

Usually, drivers do this on the link route to the stage, just to get a first feel for the set of brake pads, but now we will do it for each set of pads, before the start of the rally. It's a bit of a return to the old way. » You are never better served than by yourself.