[WEC] Toyota LMP1 Discussion

[GasperG]

We don't have details what really happend behind the scenes, or do we?

Crashing at LeMans alone sure wasn't the only reason. There must have been some kind of argument between him and managers, maybe he didn't admit the mistake as he should or wasn't felt responsible for crashing, or god knows what else.

[Simmi]

Originally Posted by GasperG

We don't have details what really happend behind the scenes, or do we?

Crashing at LeMans alone sure wasn't the only reason. There must have been some kind of argument between him and managers, maybe he didn't admit the mistake as he should or wasn't felt responsible for crashing, or god knows what else.

Agreed there was something very strange going on there behind the scenes. I don't think we've seen the full truth come out there. Maybe we never will.

[Simmi]

Originally Posted by TF110

Looks like Toyota even contacted Marsel Fassler, but he declined In the article, he only says a double commitment wouldn't be possible.

Fassler is a good bet for a third seat in the Corvette no?

If he can get his feet under the table again with those guys he's got years more GT-Pro racing in him. That would be a good career move, especially with guys like Jan and Oli not getting any younger.

[chernaudi]

Fassler is pushing 40, so is Ben. And the fact that Audi have almost everyone still under some form of contract retainer, probably even Lotterer though he's at Porsche (although that's a VAG affiliated brand), you almost have to believe that they have something planned for the next few years, and it's not just honoring contracts or farming out their drivers to Formula E, DTM or GT3 teams.

But on the topic of Toyota, I want shots of their new car. It's gotta look better than Porsche's. And TMG does have a flair for making fast cars that actually look appealing. The Audis were Teutonic and angular (especially headlights, though that goes in step with their road cars), and the Porsche looks more an more like an insectoid toad/guppy.

[Hawkwood]

Originally Posted by Simmi

Fassler is a good bet for a third seat in the Corvette no?

If he can get his feet under the table again with those guys he's got years more GT-Pro racing in him. That would be a good career move, especially with guys like Jan and Oli not getting any younger.

He should be in there, can't really think who'd better be better.

Regarding ages though, Fassler, while younger than Magnussen and Gavin by a couple of years, is in his 40s, so not a great long-term shout for Corvette.

[TF110]

Originally Posted by YorkshireLad

If I was lapierre, I'd of given Toyota the finger.. his crash a few years ago wether his fault or not, resulted in Toyota dismissing him.

Then to ask for him back because they can't find any better drivers seems to be taking the biscuit IMO.


I guess that's racing though.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I doubt he had a second thought! You think any available driver currently in prototypes would turn down a shot at an overall win at Le Mans? I would think that most if not all free prototype drivers would jump at the chance to be in a factory car. It's obvious there were a lot of people on their list. They even tested quite a few. Lapierre knows the team though, so that's one positive. Hope the team gels and the car is fast, that's all I ask for.

[J Jay]

More to the point, however unhappy Lapierre was at the time (if he was, although he sure looked it), neither he nor TMG burnt the bridge and that decision looks to have paid off for both sides. I doubt Nicolas would have been Toyota's first choice given how far the net was cast, but they wouldn't have considered him if he wasn't good enough. He may not have been good enough when he was dropped, but times change and nothing is set in stone.

Originally Posted by TF110

Hope the team gels and the car is fast, that's all I ask for.

And that Lapierre doesn't bin it down le Hunadieres again ...

[Acid09]

Also, let's not act like he was binned on one crash alone, he had several incidents and generally delivered a quite shoddy performance for most of 2014.

Whatever was wrong with him back then is obviously fixed since he was flawless in LMP2 so it was a healthy detour for him, no harm done.

[Beryl]

Every driver in the third car has something to prove. Lapierre that he can keep it on the black stuff if a little water is thrown into the mix, Kunimoto that he is better than his Super GT performances indicate and Sarazzin that he is still a viable factory team driver.

[TF110]

I think they'll be able to challenge if the car is up to it. But I feel like the new #7 crew will be the favorite. Kobayashi, Conway and Lopez sound like a formidable trio and really that car came on strong last year.

[kvenom]

Originally Posted by TF110

I think they'll be able to challenge if the car is up to it. But I feel like the new #7 crew will be the favorite. Kobayashi, Conway and Lopez sound like a formidable trio and really that car came on strong last year.

Still think Kobayashi and Conway are far too temperamental and Lopez is unknown at Le Mans. They should have walked away with victory last year, but mistakes cost them (GT contact/spin).

[TF110]

They have a lot of speed and experience comes with racing. They were the faster car later in the year so I think it is expected to continue that way. Traffic is always an issue so it's a matter of patience and luck imo. We'll see. Lopez might be new to lmp, but he's used to lapping cars

[godlameroso]

Conway Kobayashi and Lopez is a really strong line-up, I may have been inclined to swap Buemi with Lopez but they must see something in Lopez. He did destroy everyone in touring cars though. And he was going to be the star driver for the vaporware USF1.

[hondafan37]

Originally Posted by TF110

They have a lot of speed and experience comes with racing. They were the faster car later in the year so I think it is expected to continue that way. Traffic is always an issue so it's a matter of patience and luck imo. We'll see. Lopez might be new to lmp, but he's used to lapping cars

Pechito Lopez have a lot of test hours on board of the Renault R25 and R26 World F1 Championship with Fernando Alonso in 2005 and 2006. He usually tested the new elements in the car before each race.

[TF110]

He's been testing the Toyota's for close to a year now as well so he definitely has time in the car on his side. And like him, Kunimoto must have impressed to get the seat over Hirakawa.

[chernaudi]

Anyone know when the official launch for the TS050 will be? I'm hoping that Toyota won't wait until Saturday morning.

[roderick]

Originally Posted by chernaudi

Anyone know when the official launch for the TS050 will be? I'm hoping that Toyota won't wait until Saturday morning.

I think it will be revealed by the end of today(30th).
although there are few pic of the 2017 TS050 out there.

[chernaudi]

Since 2014 TMG have waited until they arrived at the track for the reveal. Which means probably Thursday or Friday.

And I know that there's photos of some iteration of the 2017 car, but they are few, and don't show much (on purpose).

[TF110]

11am local time in Monza on the 31st. That's 5am on the east coast I think.

[YorkshireLad]

Haven't photos of the ts040 and 50 always being leaked early, wonder if we'll see some photos today.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Spyderman]

[kaivo]

why headlights are so big this year ? new rule ?

[kvenom]

That's probably the low-drag configuration given the lack of diveplanes and similar venting concept to last year's spec.

Here is a larger pic:

[bentley speed 8]

It should be, since it looks a bit similar to last year's LM kit (which IMHO, was the ugliest of the three)

[chernaudi]

The Toyota light bins are no larger than last year. Big difference is that Toyota dropped xenon lamps in favor or LEDs. And from a styling stand point, I'm not sure how to feel. I understand Audi doing it because almost all their road cars have LED headlights available. Most of Porsche's and Toyota's road cars use LEDs mostly as DRLs and not as main beams.

And of course, Porsche and Toyota will be running their LM kit. I think that's part of the point of the test being at Monza. We probably won't see anyone run a high downforce kit until Silverstone, unless they want to push full homologation back to post LM races.

But from what I see, at least the car looks cool and less odd than the Porsche, though it's just a small shot of the nose.