The never ending Toyota return to Le Mans (LMP1) Saga

[kurski]

Originally Posted by Simmi

Hindy just tweeted that he expects Anthony Davidson to be announced as a Toyota driver for the full-season.

Anthony Davidson would be more than a good confirmation of the Toyota team.

[Simmi]

I'm really interested to see a) if the announcement does take place and b) if this really will lead to a second full-season car.

I'm sure that despite not having two WEC entries Toyota could enter the car at races regardless, or maybe a second entry will in fact magically appear via the FIA/ACO...

[Acid09]

Wow, seems like the exit of Peugeot has motivated Toyota to go all-in all of a sudden...excellent news!

[alexkiller8]

well now i've read that won't be anymore a full team champ (or at least, only private lmp1 team will have a team champ), however i know that the manufacter champ had a strange regulamentation: the points were scored by the first 2 best placed car of the same manufacter, but the strangest thing is that manufacters could score points also from cars that didn't run or didn't join ILMC! ex. corvette earned 42points at le mans because were: 30 of first gt car (#73) and 12 of seventh gt car (#50, without separation between gtpro/gtam)! well you all know that corvette racing hadn't a run in ILMC! well with these basis, could the second toyota car (#8) score points for team and manufacter champ if just one car (#7) is officially entered in WEC?

(just to know, i remember that this year the champs are: lmp1/lmp2/gtpro/gtam drivers champ, lmp1 manufacter champ, gt combined manufacter champ, team champ for best private lmp1, best lmp2 team, best gtpro team and best gtam team).

[TF110]

Any updates yet on this Davidson story? I sure hope it's true and he's a part of the 2nd car!

[GT6]

mid week motorsport just confirmed 2 cars for spa

[TF110]

Awesome news! If true then Ishiura, Buemi(?), Davidson(?) in the 2nd car?

[deggis]

Last Thursday, TOYOTA Racing received two entries from ACO for the Le Mans 24 Hours. At the French circuit, the two TS030 HYBRIDs will be bearing the numbers #7 and #8 in a nod to the manufacturer’s previous participations at Le Mans.

http://www.toyotahybridracing.com/to...mbers-7-and-8/

[Simmi]

Autosport (print version) fills in some of the gaps today.

It too says Davidson is close to a Toyota deal. It says that is likely only to encompass Le Mans and Fuji. Those are the two rounds where Gary Watkins believes they will run two cars. Other sources seem to indicate otherwise.

It goes on to say they contacted Davidson about a drive at the end of 2011 but at the time he was in the middle of his two-year Pug deal.

Interestingly it also says that despite being on the LM entrylist, Hiroaki Ishiura does not yet have a contract with the squad. Maybe he is there in case they can't get anyone better, but doesn't he HAVE to drive seen as he is listed?


Finally it says Toyota will run a minimum of six rounds of the WEC. That is supported by quotes from a spokesman who says they have to do at least six rounds to be a 'full-time' entrant. Only race that is off the table is Sebring.

[TF110]

Good to hear from other sources they'll enter every other round Spa onward. I'd like to know when/where their next test is.

[deggis]

When: "next test is planned for mid-February"

The revised WEC plan might have changed testing schedule too though...

[tyronnezx]

Originally Posted by deggis

When: "next test is planned for mid-February"

The revised WEC plan might have changed testing schedule too though...

doesnt really say where it's gunna be. i hope for their sake that they test somewhere else like sebring

[Mal]

With the regularity that they are revising their plans is their any hope for Sebring?

[AGD]

Originally Posted by Simmi

Finally it says Toyota will run a minimum of six rounds of the WEC. That is supported by quotes from a spokesman who says they have to do at least six rounds to be a 'full-time' entrant. Only race that is off the table is Sebring.

Originally Posted by TF110

Good to hear from other sources they'll enter every other round Spa onward. I'd like to know when/where their next test is.

There are 8 rounds of the WEC so if they do 6, Sebring and something else will not be contested. Bahrain would be the logical guess if they skip another. If Toyota skips Bahrain, one would have to wonder if Audi would too.

[TF110]

Minimum of 6 to me means they intend to race everywhere, unless of course the FIA decide against Bahrain, which British officials have pressured them to do. So it sounds like they want to do every round but are expecting Bahrain not to be ran(?)

[gwyllion]

The drive lineup has been finalized:

• #7 car: WEC with Alex Wurz, Nicolas Lapierre, Kazuki Nakajima
• #8 car: Le Mans with Anthony Davidson, Hiroaki Ishiura, Sébastien Buemi

source: http://www.toyotahybridracing.com/to...river-line-up/

[evanPGH]

Originally Posted by gwyllion

The drive lineup has been finalized:

• #7 car: WEC with Alex Wurz, Nicolas Lapierre, Kazuki Nakajima
• #8 car: Le Mans with Anthony Davidson, Hiroaki Ishiura, Sébastien Buemi

source: http://www.toyotahybridracing.com/to...river-line-up/

Beat me to it!

Pretty solid lineup overall. The only real question marks are Nakajima and Buemi but who knows, they could end up being very fast. There's a ton of experience in Wurz and Davidson, hopefully it'll help season the younger drivers.

[gwyllion]

The latest RCE has an in-depth article about the Toyota TS030: http://gb.zinio.com/reader.jsp?issue...nt&prev=si&p=8

[gwyllion]

Originally Posted by gwyllion

LHD is a disadvantage in the pits because the driver has to run around the car. However, it could be a visibility advantage. The view to the right side will be much better, which is where the apex is most often on clockwise circuits.

In the RCE article Vasselon gave the same motivation for the driver position

'It is a question of visibility,' explains Vasselon. 'If the driver sits on the left his visibility to the right is better and to the left it is more limited. At Le Mans you have more right-hand corners than left, so we put him on the left of the car.'

[aneesh99]

Originally Posted by gwyllion

In the RCE article Vasselon gave the same motivation for the driver position

Dunno if it's relevant but that way, isn't all the hybrid equipment in the cockpit on the right side where it would be easier to access quickly if they didn't want to take the car into the garage?

[alexkiller8]

Originally Posted by aneesh99

Dunno if it's relevant but that way, isn't all the hybrid equipment in the cockpit on the right side where it would be easier to access quickly if they didn't want to take the car into the garage?

is this the real reason, i doubt that visibility influenced so much the choice, afterall le mans track has important left oriented turns (entrance of dunlop chicane, esses, michelin chicane, second part of indianapolis, someone of porsche turns and entrances of ford chicanes).

[joeb]

Originally Posted by aneesh99

Dunno if it's relevant but that way, isn't all the hybrid equipment in the cockpit on the right side where it would be easier to access quickly if they didn't want to take the car into the garage?

Also if the hybrid bits are on the right and they weigh more than the driver, that could be advantageous at Le Mans.

[Articus]

The rules say no engine or gearbox casing changes but will they allow hybrid capacitor changes etc? I would imagine the Toyota system being very modular for serviceability in race.

[TF110]

Couldn't read the whole article, but it was a good piece. I assume the capacitor is not much heavier than their driver, and they say they carry ballast. Must be pretty good weight distribution there. And this is just their first solution, so more development can mean better packaging and less weight. But I like the quote "Realistically, this year we want to be the fastest Hybrid".

[gwyllion]

On page 14 of the RCE article.

"The ACO does not limit the weight of the hybrid system, but it is difficult to keep to the 900 kg, and the ballast is actually very small," explains Murata.