Naoto Matsukura and Yokomo part ways
 

Shocked at this...

Will he go to Xray? Kyosho?

Needs to be someone who does 12th, TC and buggy.

Totally not expected, especially when the worlds are being held at Yatabe. But yeah, I can understand, 10 years at Yokomo is a while. My guess would by Kyosho or Team Associated. More AE than Kyosho, as AE also does 12th scale. Or maybe split contracts, who will know?

Who will replace him? Maybe Neumann, he has driven Yoko before. Or maybe no replacement and go with Martin.

Neuman there would be cool.
What about serpent?

:wtf:

http://www.luthien-tinuviel.net/emot/jawdrop.gif


I was totally floored by this. He was probably my favorite NON US driver. Very strange indeed.

AE or Kyosho would have the pocket book for him, Does AE have any ranked Japanese drivers? Knowing that Yokomo and AE had a partnership BITD, and it appears they are a major player for AE Importer....

Def. changes things for the 2015 worlds.
Not going to lie, he and Martin were a big reason why I want to switch to Yokomo for 2015. Ive been a loyal AE guy since I started over 16 yrs ago.

Time will tell...



MOmo

This might not say much for the new YZ-2 car. Look what happened to team associated when the B5M platform came along.

He could go kyosho as they do have a 12th, not sure what its like as it's not really pushed in the uk, but have been told it's not a bad platform, like everyone else I'm surprised, yokomo will be gutted if it was his choice

Schumacher :thumbsup:

Best cars out there!

I reckon it's gotta be Kyosho. Naoto is a pro driver so it's gotta be someone who supply that.

The only other would be AE

I believe he's running a Vantage FXT.

I'm not so sure he'll end up in kyosho or AE. My thinking is he'll go with a company to help them develop their product offerings, but retaining a Japanese connection. Perhaps he'll do Hara, and work cross brand?

While Xray cover the classes he races, they are EU based.

I think he'll end up with hotbodies/hpi. They are essentially Japanese, riding on the back of a 1/8th worlds win and looking for the 1/10th worlds win. They have a developing 4wd chassis, and a 2wd chassis that will appear for the worlds. They do TC and may want to develop a 1/12th platform.That's who my money is on today ;-)

Well what ever happens it's still not good news for yokomo........

Yokomo might get back Jörn, thats good news

That would be great news indeed!
As for Naoto, I would not be surprised to see him joining AE, or maybe he will copy Atsushi Hara's 2000 move to HB after winning the TC worlds title.
From a domestic Japanese view, Kyosho would make sense, too. It must have been frustrating for the K team to be beaten at the nationals year after year by the B-Max series under Naoto's control.

You forgot Tamiya...Except Kyosho, They are close of him...they will made a 1/12 On Road car for competition, they've got their Off Road package 2wd & 4wd...(I suppose that Lee Martin could say that the cars are good)...and Tamiya can offer the same or more than Yokomo...on Travels and Yens...

But, out of this speculation, I think it's stupid from Naoto...right now he's alone.
He get, at every race, somebody to take care and prepare his cars...He will not met the same in an other manufacturer...

Fair points. his team at the EOS were amazing. He did work on his own car however. awesome team support though.
I discounted Tamiya as thry had cancelled their off road race programme. Lee was it. I guess they could wish to make a comeback?

I wish it also...after that, I've heard, it's a rumor, that a US driver could take part to Yokomo's Projects...soon we will know.

Go and give yourself a good hard slap! :woot:

Pedaling that crap about, all because you have a team drive doesn't mean you have to keep flogging the same biased opinion. ;)

It'll be Kyosho, I can't imagine he'd go to AE (I'll be shocked if he does) and I can't see anyone else with pockets deep enough.

I would've thought he stayed until after the Worlds as it's his home event and he's won there so many times it's an odd time to do it. Not to mention how quick he is with the 4wd that I would've had him as a dead cert for the title.

I think he's nuts and he may live to regret it.

Lol, 2 laps down in qualifying last time wasn't it?. :thumbsup:

In all serious may be Ben jemmo going to yokomo.... He just released a statement he ain't gonna be AE any more....

maybe, but it could also be Schumacher for Ben?
Also weren't CML meant to be the "official" Yokomo distie (yeah really), and he just left them.

Schumacher seriously have a good chance at a worlds title with the performance of the KF and Carson Weinermot onboard. Also Schumacher tyres will be the ones to beat. The US tyre brands can't compete there.

I do agree that Naoto may have given away his best support for the 10rh buggy worlds win.