Toyota set to decide in next two months
Toyota are set to confirm their plans for 2012 before November, as the Japanese marque looks set to put together a European based programme in either WRC, WTCC or the DTM.
Toyota Motorsport Gmbh, who operated the manufacturers Formula 1 programme between 2002-2009, will head up the operation and have been evaluating the three tin-top championships over the past few months.
Toyota are expected to confirm which championship to enter, with the FIA World Rally Championship anticipated by some areas to be the most likely choice.
Toyota, and more specifically Toyota Motorsport Gmbh’s heritage in the WRC is well known. The outfit was a dominant force in the championship, even claiming the WRC Manufacturers Championship in it’s final season in 1999 before leaving to focus on it’s Formula 1 programme.
With the WRC’s new engine regulations mandating 1.6 litre turbo powerplants, the same as the new WTCC regulations, it’s not beyond the realm of possibility that a WTCC programme could sit alongside a WRC entry.
This option may be all the more tempting to Toyota, with the announcement of a new Japanese Touring Car Championship (JTCC) also set to launch in 2012 running to the S2000 WTCC regulations.
The DTM, both competitively and logistically, is also a good fit. The DTM is of course based in Germany, with the majority of it’s calendar taking place there, and itself will be switching to a new set of lower cost technical regulations, which will give new entries a chance to challenge DTM stalwarts Mercedes-Benz and Audi from the start.
