Would be wonderful if it were true, I have no information either direction.GoranF1 wrote: ↑17 Mar 2019, 22:04Mclaren is currently under negotiations whit Toyota over major pre 2011 Mercedes like colaboration.
Toyota is interested into buying Mclaren shares.
Both Toyota's twin wind tunnels in Cologne to be updated before start of deal.
Mclaren simulator will undergo complete overhaul before 2021.
New Renault deal will not be signed.
Alonso will be involved even after driving career.
Coca Cola will progressively increase sponsorship and will be major sponsor whit name included in team's title.
More big tech names to arrive including Paddy Lowe.
But what I would say is that the lead time on designing, optimising and getting to reliability on these power units has to be at least three years from a standing start. Now of course it does have it's technology and experience from LMP1 which which would help considerably, and McLaren Applied Technologies can bring the same from it's supply of Honda battery packs and motors, and FE (assuming there's no IP restrictions in either case). Nevertheless, the lead time (and subsequent patience) and expense for a new engine supplier to enter the sport would still be considerable. They would need to be starting work now, if not already last year.
From the McLaren perspective I can certainly see the sense in it. Toyota is a decent / less competitive fit alongside McLaren Automotive's sports car range. It would also be interesting to see Toyota assist Applied Technologies in scaling and industrialising it's hybrid powertrain supply capability to the extent that McLaren Automotive needs for it's increasingly EV-driven future models. At present I doubt Applied Technologies is able to scale it's production nor reduce it's supply costs enough for the volumes Automotive would need in it's mainline products.
The wind tunnel and simulator upgrades would represent a considerable investment as well and be great for McLaren (McLaren's own wind tunnel is known to be out of date and flawed compared to rivals, whereas Toyota's is a known entity for McLaren already). Re the simulator, Toyota may find access to McLaren's simulator technology useful for it's own race car developments.