Schumacher, Trulli Call Your Offices
You have a new boss.
Toyota F1 announced today team boss Tsutomu Tomita will step down at the end of June and be replaced by Tadashi Yamashina.
“I am looking forward to celebrating Toyota’s first victory in Formula One, which I believe will happen sooner rather than later,” said Tomita, who publicly apologized earlier this year for the team’s failure to win in 2006.<div style=”clear:both;”
What, no apology for the teams backmarker status in 2007?
Five years plus 3 events, two pole positions, one fastest lap and two second places for Jarno Trulli nearly two years ago, all for the grand sum of One Billion dollars, plus change.
If you had that type of performance from your Prius you could invoke the lemon law.
Good luck Yamashina-san, you’ll need it.
After reading this & the Autosport article I’m convinced that he has been held accountable for this year & previous seasons poor performances & kicked upstairs, the dead give away is the announcement he will return to Tokyo to an as yet undecided role.
I admired Toyotas multi year build up programme before entering F1, with the experienced Mika Salo it all seemed so planned & organised (although I never understood the first year signing of Allan McNish). However, after that first year when expectations weren’t too high, they have lurched like a rudderless ship. A rotating door driver policy, de Matta, Panis, Zonta, the enigma that is Trulli & the grossly over paid/underperforming Schi lite. The hiring & sacking of the talented Gascoyne, the triple technical heads, tech chief-chassis, tech chief-engine & tech chief-design? The obvious boardroom interference from head office & constant propaganda that wins & a title are just around the corner.
IMHO, the biggest mistake was releasing the guy who set the whole thing up for them, Toyota Team Europe’s Ova Andersson, he oversaw the successful rally & Le Mans years & is a David Richard’s like figure I.e. a huge motor sport influence just outside of F1. Toyota need to get the corporate guys out of the team & put a single “Euro” principal in charge.
7 years, a budget to die for &………………nada, nuffing, zilch.
Alternatively, pack up the team (chassis), put all your their efforts into the engines & bolt them on to the back of a Williams. Toyota’s reported $420M per year budget would buy one a hell of a equity stake in Frank’s independent team. BMW Williams? Toyota Williams see how easy it is!!!