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

[gwyllion]

Originally Posted by TF110

Yet in the video being discussed you can see spray from the car, so either that's dust, or there was moisture.

Look at the date of the Wurz interview: January 16, 2012. So that interview was done before the presentation (January 24) and the public test session (January 25), where all those youtube videos were taken.

The article starts with "The Austrian driver has taken the very first laps on the new Toyota LMP1 on the Paul Ricard circuit at le Castellet, France." This refers to the private shakedown on January 11.

The ACO put a (French) copy of the interview on their website yesterday at 13:05. They must have had a time machine because in the interview Wurz explains "In the afternoon, we focused on the development of the hybrid system."

There is also an interview with Lapierre, who did not drive the car yesterday but is still able to comment on his first driving impressions.

[gwyllion]

Another day of testing. Today Nakajima, who toke over from Wurz yesterday afternoon, will start.

Originally Posted by @Toyota_Hybrid

Sun is rising. let's go testing... @kazuki_info onboard... http://twitpic.com/8bsqph

source: http://twitter.com/#!/Toyota_Hybrid/...38003376144384


BTW the photographer that is taking the pictures for Toyota, is James Moy and he is on twitter as well: http://twitter.com/jamesmoy

[TF110]

Regardless if there was ice that day or not, there was some tire spinning. I just figured part of that could be from moisture on the track, or dust as the video showed. No reason to nitpick about tire spin. Be it from track conditions or TC issues, it'll be a great car.

[ss_collins]

Yeah the car spins its wheels like a bugger coming out of the last turn. They have a hybrid / TC / engine balance issue, but it just needs to be worked out - not a big problem (after all that is what testing is for)

[MitchZ06]

Soooo (puts on engineering hat) wouldn't using the electric motors on the front axle be a better way to provide traction (once at 120km/h which most protos seem to be capable of even in slower corners) that would allow the wheelspin to be managed? It'd be like a proper AWD system with the fronts moving the car forward enough to allow the car to catch up with the rears or not even allow them to spin in the first place.

[deggis]

Another onboard (including pit start): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BHyqTUeE4Us

[DeathOrGlory]

Montagny is a VERY good choice, considering he was a former Toyota F1 tester. Ditto for Sarrazin, but I think a 3rd car is needed. The second car is likely to be a Japanese-Japanese-gaijin team. I am angling for Super GT's Ishiura, Le Mans winner Seiji Ara, and probably Ant Davidson or Nick Minassian.

[evanPGH]

Originally Posted by MitchZ06

Soooo (puts on engineering hat) wouldn't using the electric motors on the front axle be a better way to provide traction (once at 120km/h which most protos seem to be capable of even in slower corners) that would allow the wheelspin to be managed? It'd be like a proper AWD system with the fronts moving the car forward enough to allow the car to catch up with the rears or not even allow them to spin in the first place.

It would allow for better traction BUT, it may also lead to some nasty understeer. I would imagine they'll be testing different output percentages from the electric motors, i.e., have them start delivering 70% of their total power until the car picks up speed to gain traction at which point they can run at max. Sort of the same idea as a driver judging throttle input to make it out of a corner cleanly.

[Robbo28]

Doesn't it: Always Rain at Le Mans!!

With this in mind, using the Hybrid power to the front wheels would give you AWD (over 120Km/H) if the track gets greasy

[gwyllion]

Originally Posted by gwyllion

Another day of testing. Today Nakajima, who toke over from Wurz yesterday afternoon, will start.

It is Lapierre's turn this afternoon.

Originally Posted by @Toyota_Hybrid

After little lunch break, @Nico_Lapierre goes on track with TS030 Hybrid.

[jpp]

Hello,
if you have a look to the video posted on Toyota Racing site

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RFn0fJu9clE
you can see interesting pictures of the V8 engine (supposed to be TS030 engine?) and gear box installation

after 19 secs, there is something which looks like a sensor very close to the exhaust ports of each cylinder... is it a knock sensor ?

A lot of connections on the valve cover : it Looks like to be a twin spark engine ? or is it th connection to a direct injector in a vertical position ?

All advice are welcome !

[evanPGH]

Originally Posted by jpp

Hello,
if you have a look to the video posted on Toyota Racing site

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RFn0fJu9clE
you can see interesting pictures of the V8 engine (supposed to be TS030 engine?) and gear box installation

after 19 secs, there is something which looks like a sensor very close to the exhaust ports of each cylinder... is it a knock sensor ?

A lot of connections on the valve cover : it Looks like to be a twin spark engine ? or is it the connection to a direct injector in a vertical position ?

All advice are welcome !

That's what it looks like to me, one port for the plug, the other for the injector. Also, I don't see any evidence of an external rail.

I can't imagine why it wouldn't be GDI, any thoughts?

[Mr Pink]

Originally Posted by evanPGH

It would allow for better traction BUT, it may also lead to some nasty understeer.

Yeah i was thinking about this too, wouldn't it be a nightmare to set a car up which drives on two wheels some of the time and four some of the time?

[evanPGH]

Originally Posted by Mr Pink

Yeah i was thinking about this too, wouldn't it be a nightmare to set a car up which drives on two wheels some of the time and four some of the time?

Yeah I'd imagine this won't be an easy car to dial in. In theory it sounds good; entering a corner in RWD and exiting it in AWD, the best of both Worlds so to speak. There will definitely be a lot of quirks to work out and finding the car's overall balance will be quite a task should they choose to use the electric motors to drive the front wheels.

[Victor_RO]

Originally Posted by evanPGH

Yeah I'd imagine this won't be an easy car to dial in. In theory it sounds good; entering a corner in RWD and exiting it in AWD, the best of both Worlds so to speak. There will definitely be a lot of quirks to work out and finding the car's overall balance will be quite a task should they choose to use the electric motors to drive the front wheels.

Don't forget that the 911 GT3-R hybrid worked on the same principle, and they got it to work in the end.

[gwyllion]

Originally Posted by jpp

if you have a look to the video posted on Toyota Racing site

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RFn0fJu9clE
you can see interesting pictures of the V8 engine (supposed to be TS030 engine?) and gear box installation

That are probably pictures from their Formula 1 engine, which has a hydraulic valve train.

You have to remember that the services of TMG (facilities + engineers) can be hired by third parties. Those videos on youtube are promo material.

In fact the TS030 drive train (engine, gearbox, hybrid system) is not even designed by TMG in Cologne, but by Toyota Japan. TMG only does the chassis and aero.

[deggis]

Originally Posted by jpp

(supposed to be TS030 engine?)

Even if it is a new video, it might consist of old footage, from F1 years.

[gwyllion]

Originally Posted by evanPGH

Yeah I'd imagine this won't be an easy car to dial in. In theory it sounds good; entering a corner in RWD and exiting it in AWD, the best of both Worlds so to speak.

This is forbidden by the rules. The hybrid system can not be used as driver aid or to improve traction. That is the exact reason why a hybrid system connected to the front wheels, can only be become active above 120 km/h.

[evanPGH]

Originally Posted by Victor_RO

Don't forget that the 911 GT3-R hybrid worked on the same principle, and they got it to work in the end.

Very true, they did. In my opinion it might be a bit trickier to get it right in a LMP1 than a GT2 class car. The difference in speed at which everything happens between those two cars makes me think there will be far less margin for error.

Thanks for reminding me about the GT3 Hybrid! I had completely forgotten that they chose to drive the front wheels.

[evanPGH]

Originally Posted by gwyllion

This is forbidden by the rules. The hybrid system can not be used as driver aid or to improve traction. That is the exact reason why a hybrid system connected to the front wheels, can only be become active above 120 km/h.

Yes but LMP1s take a good amount of corners at that speed. Obviously it won't help you at Mulsanne corner but surely through a number of others. Can you activate the hybrid system through corners if the car is going over 120km/h or can it only be on straights? I'm a little fuzzy with all of the rules haha.

[deggis]

Originally Posted by deggis

Another onboard (including pit start): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BHyqTUeE4Us

Same onboard but with some cockpit cam: http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xo1...rid-ts030_auto

[Bentley03]

Originally Posted by TS030

Thanks Bentley,

Keep your fingers crossed for our success in the 2012 season.

Fingers are very firmly crossed for your success in 2012. But, they are even more firmly crossed in the hope that this programme will have considerable longevity. What sportscar fans really want to see is stability over a number of years, from a manufacturer entry. Audi are the shining example in this respect. My gut feeling is that we shall lose them when Porsche return, a changing of the guard, so to speak. Hopefully, Toyota will still be around to take them on.....please, no splash and dash from Toyota this time!

[gwyllion]

A nice teaser from Toyota:

Originally Posted by @Toyota_Hybrid

End of a nice and productive testing day. Each driver happy with the car... And we have a surprise for you tomorrow ;-) #24LM #LEMANS #WEC

source: http://twitter.com/#!/Toyota_Hybrid/...95971946131456

[gwyllion]

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/97186 has a short interview with Nakajima.

[TF110]

Autosport always puts a little spin on their article titles. But of course, Toyota hopes to win. I have a feeling they'll have a good chance.