24 Hours of Le Mans
Toyota Racing unveils 2012 Le Mans challenger
© Toyota Racing
Toyota Racing today announced more details of its forthcoming FIA World Endurance Championship participation, including an intention to race two cars in specific races.
The new team, which is based at Toyota Motorsport GmbH (TMG) in Cologne, Germany, will make its race debut on 5 May in the Six Hours of Spa-Francorchamps, the second round of the FIA World Endurance Championship.
Toyota Racing intends to enter two TS030 HYBRID cars in the subsequent Le Mans 24 Hours (16-17 June. Participation in further rounds is yet to be confirmed.
A driver line-up of Alex Wurz, Nicolas Lapierre and Kazuki Nakajima has already been confirmed for one car while discussions are still ongoing to finalise the driver line-up for the other. Additionally, Andrea Caldarelli, from Pescara, Italy, has joined Toyota Racing as a junior driver.
The TS030 HYBRID is Toyota’s successor to the iconic TS010 and TS020 cars which participated at Le Mans with podium success during the 1990s, with TS an acronym for ToyotaSport.
© Toyota Racing
Toyota is the first manufacturer to confirm its participation in the FIA World Endurance Championship using a hybrid system, emphasising the pioneering approach to this technology which has seen more than 3.5 million Toyota hybrid vehicles sold worldwide.
The THS-R (Toyota Hybrid System – Racing) powertrain is designed to deliver maximum performance and features an all-new V8 3.4litre normally-aspirated petrol engine and hybrid system with capacitor storage developed by official team partner Nisshinbo.
The team will use the TS030 HYBRID’s first test to evaluate the merits, within the current regulations, of a front motor system produced by Aisin AW and a rear motor system developed by official team partner DENSO. Those regulations limit hybrid systems to recovering a maximum of 500kJ between braking zones whilst restricting deployment to only two wheels.
A brand new carbon fibre LMP1 chassis has been developed and produced at TMG, where the complete car was assembled for the first time in preparation for a roll-out on 11-13 January at Paul Ricard.
During an exclusive test session at the French track, which included running in darkness, the TS030 HYBRID completed several hundred kilometres, showing an impressive level of reliability and performance for this very early stage in the car’s testing programme.
Alex Wurz and Nicolas Lapierre both put the TS030 HYBRID through its paces at Paul Ricard, joined by 30-year-old Japanese driver Hiroaki Ishiura, who is a candidate to join the driver line-up at races where Toyota Racing participates with two cars.
© Toyota Racing
Official partners to the Toyota Racing programme include ZENT, Aisin, Nippon Steel, Takata, Toyoda Gosei and Michelin.
Yoshiaki Kinoshita, Team President: “Of course we would love to win Le Mans; that is the dream for all competitors in this race. But we are realistic and we know we need to develop and to learn in order to compete with some very strong competition. Our target this year is to show the performance level of our car and particularly the THS-R powertrain. Hybrid is a core technology of Toyota so it is important to demonstrate this in a motorsport arena and we want to prove it can bring a performance advantage, both in terms of lap time and fuel efficiency. Everyone involved in designing, developing and preparing the car – both at TMG and at Motor Sport Division in Japan – has worked incredibly hard to reach this point and we are all very excited to be back on the race track again.”
Pascal Vasselon, Technical Director: “The two main performance drivers of our TS030 HYBRID car are the aerodynamics and the hybrid system. The regulations for hybrid powertrains allow us to recover energy under braking and release this to improve acceleration out of a corner, delivering lap-time benefit. For any given performance level, a hybrid powertrain will achieve this with less fuel so it is an extremely relevant technology and one we are excited to be bringing to endurance racing. Another key point in our development phase has been delivering aerodynamic efficiency. The development team at TMG has worked very hard to achieve an optimum aero concept using our state-of-the-art aero development processes based on combined wind tunnel testing and CFD. Judging by the positive feedback we received during the roll-out we have a very good base on which to build in the coming weeks.”
Hisatake Murata, Hybrid Project Leader: “Toyota has been working on hybrid systems for motorsport for several years, during which time we have made huge progress. Now we feel ready to bring our technology to the ultimate motorsport test: the Le Mans 24 Hours. Integrating a hybrid powertrain is, of course, a different challenge compared to a ‘standard’ powertrain. But we have worked together with partners such as DENSO, Aisin AW and Nisshinbo to develop the THS-R technology so it is part of the overall concept of the TS030 HYBRID. This technology will be used to recover up to 500kJ between braking events, energy which can be released via either front or rear motors to deliver a performance advantage. Toyota’s hybrid technology has already won a 24-hour race – the Tokachi 24 Hours in 2007 – so now we are bringing the latest THS-R development to global motorsport; we know this is a technically-demanding exercise but we are well prepared for the challenge.”
© Toyota Racing
Alex Wurz: “It was cool to drive the TS030 HYBRID car for the first time. Just leaving the garage on the electric power is very futuristic, then when you let the clutch go and the internal combustion engine kicks in it is like an old friend has returned! When we put on the slick tyre I could feel the car generates a very good amount of grip so I think we have a good base and I think we can turn this into a really fast car. I am definitely very happy but my nature is to also be analytical and therefore I know there is still a lot of work to be done. It’s really good to work with all the mechanics and engineers; the Toyota Racing team is very international and this works well. I am very comfortable in this team because they are all extremely professional, that is really clear.”
Nicolas Lapierre: “My first impression from the roll-out was positive; the chassis is really advanced and the hybrid system works very well. The TS030 HYBRID car has good reaction to the steering with quick and efficient response combined with an impressive base level of downforce which is a nice feeling for a driver. It is totally different from anything I have known before because the philosophy is different. So our roll-out was promising and we saw the car’s potential on several levels; we still have plenty of work to do but I think that we will have a strong package. We are starting from a blank page so the challenge is exciting.”
Kazuki Nakajima: “I cannot wait to drive the TS030 HYBRID for the first time. I spoke a lot with Alex and Nicolas about the car during the roll-out and it obviously has great potential. I have been doing a lot of time in the TMG driving simulator so I have got to know the car in a virtual world, as well as the Le Mans track; now it’s time to drive it for real. It is a great opportunity for me and I am thoroughly looking forward to the experience of racing in the FIA World Endurance Championship with Toyota Racing. To return to Le Mans with hybrid technology is a big challenge for Toyota but it is also a real opportunity for all the drivers and I hope my recent Super GT experience will be a benefit. It’s a great feeling to be involved in this project and I am really motivated for this season.”
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It kind of looks like a cross behind an Oreca FLM09 and an Audi R18 TDI
Oh well, looks like Peugeot are forgotten already…
The company itself isn’t sure about this project.
Doing only one race before LeMans?
Announcing further races at a different date?
No set drivers for the second car?
They still have nightmares about their last few years in formula1.
I hope for their sake thats not the final livery. They need sponsors badly. This is an expensive game!
I like the look of this car, though just to my naked eye it doesn’t look anywhere near as complex or developed as the R18.
As for drivers, There are about six drivers in blue driving suits who just lost their drives and are very talented. I am hoping for the one with the BBC Commentary job…
Great lookin’ machine ! I’m sure it’s gonna be an Audi killer.
If the GT-One is anything to go by, this too will be fast from the word go.
@Bamba,
These are no first timers in endurance racing. Expect them to be on par immediatly.
“They still have nightmares about their last few years in formula1″
That’s probably the main reason for this low-key start.
‘The company itself isn’t sure about this project.
Doing only one race before LeMans?
Announcing further races at a different date?
No set drivers for the second car?’
The R18 only did once race before Le Mans.
Le Mans, Silverstone and Fuji are confirmed with two cars and all 6 drivers are signed.
‘I like the look of this car, though just to my naked eye it doesn’t look anywhere near as complex or developed as the R18′
Racecar Eng. say car has very advanced aerodynamics and Wurz says it’s already has better downforce levels than Hybrid 908.
@Mound Denso IS a major sponsor of the project. That is one of the reasons why the car is the color it is. Look for many of the same sponsors that were on the cars in ’99 and on the F1 cars, same technology partners are still with them.
@Bamba unsure about the project? Where did you get that from?
Toyota made the mistake of throwing money at a team with no F1 experience and didn’t win Le Mans in three chances either…
This is basically the same team but experienced team is actually calling the shots on track (Orcea).
@Anthony: But where is the big “Denso” sponsor sticker? Perhaps still in the sticker factory, but in any case side certainly seems to have room for a main sponsor. Toyota F1 had Panasonic, and there is already some blue color on the car…
^ Let me correct myself… “Denso” stickers are there in the photos taken at the pits (http://bit.ly/A8BoWU).
Anthony, big budget factory teams don’t make decisions on the fly, except for contingency reasons. And even then, they would also have alternative scenarios mapped out as well.
Every single race they would race this year should have been mapped out with how many cars they would have at each race, who the exact drivers would be, the amount of personnel and maybe even what they possible outcome might be.
Unless they just don’t want to reveal all their plans at once.
But they should, because the more firmly planted they are, the more things will work in their favor.
guys do you really believe Toyota needs a sponsor?
As you’re reading this they probably have at least a 100 companies willing to side with them.
Like Bamba, I also think this is just a “piece-by-piece-announcement” strategy. I am quite sure that the hotel rooms for the team members are already booked for the WEC races after Le Mans. Drivers for the second Le Mans car will probably be Caldarelli, Sebastien Buemi and one of the ex Peugeot french drivers, I guess Franck Montagny, as a former Toyota F1 test driver.
A shame they won’t be running at sebring this year.
Bamba brings up a scary point. Toyota doesn’t exactly have the best history in motor racing.
About their sponsor, Denso may to be main sponsor as same as Supra HV-R in 2007 (btw TS030HV’s “thunder” color scheme similar to the Supra). Guessing they intend to penetrate the image of top hybrid system producer like Bosch do for diesel.
Is it possible PlayStation/GT5 coming to Toyota due to Peugeot’s out? I hope PS/GT5 return to real passionate & long term sports-car team like Pescarolo.
I am very excited to see what happens with this. They had a very strong presence back when they used to compete at Le Mans, and I’m sure it will not be any different. I think Audi will have a really strong run for their money. The R18 may be an amazing chassis and testament to the very best in prototype technology, but Toyota has more of a financial backing allowing them to do more R&D, and I am sure it will show. This should be an interesting Le Mans :)
Toyota had more financial backing in F1. It never really showed.
They kept Yarno Trulli as the face of the F1 team ans held him in high regard. Now Kovalainen get the best of Trulli and Kovalainen next to Hamilton wasn’t really a world beater eater.
Int his case they have Alex Wurz and Nicolas Lalpierre. In the Peugoet camp Wurz was not the speediest, he was known for keeping out of trouble.
And at Oreca Lapierre is the in house hotshoe, but Loic Duval always had the better of Lapierre whenever he was there for the enduro rounds.
Kazuki is the mystery here since he doesn’t have lemans experience. But in formula Nippon, benoit treluyer (audi), Loic duval (oreca), and andre lotterer (audi) do get the best of him.
Toyota seems to go for drivers they have experience working with. But those drivers are not always the best guys for the job.
They need to get the absolute best drivers they can find, for the second car.
Don’t forget about the Hondas and the customer Toyotas. Toyota might have to contend with them before even tackling Audi.
The diesels and the petrol cars will be closer then everybody thinks.
Since Toyota is debuting at the second round of the WEC, they could’ve fielded an entry into the actual championship, and just “borrowed” a Rebellion car for round 1.