[WEC] Toyota LMP1 Discussion

[kurski]

Heikki Kovalainen told reporters today that him has been offered a Toyota (WEC) and the Super Formula seat, but he now wants to focus on only the Super GT.

[kvenom]

Originally Posted by kurski

Heikki Kovalainen told reporters today that him has been offered a Toyota (WEC) and the Super Formula seat, but he now wants to focus on only the Super GT.

Well that's a mistake on his part then...

[TF110]

Agreed. Maybe he'll change his mind if Toyota continue with 3 cars for next year? Also, on DSC it was reported Toyota did their third test with the new TS050 when they were present with Porsche at Aragon. Porsche did their second test.

[kvenom]

https://www.motorsport.com/lemans/ne...tm_content=www

Choosing Kunimoto over Di Grassi is quite the odd move.

[Acid09]

I could imagine there being a bit of pressure to have more Japanese drivers on the squad.

[TF110]

Or he's faster, or Di Grassi hasn't even tested? etc. Lots of reasons are out there. Plus they already have 3 Japanese drivers, definitely one for each car. If one of the cars wins, they can say a Japanese brand with a Japanese driver won Le Mans.

[Beryl]

I would be surprised if Kunimoto was faster than Di Grassi in a representative test, seeing as the latter is proven to be one of the fastest LMP1 drivers and the former struggles to get near his teammates' pace in SGT and SF.

I reckon this is a political move by Toyota to reward their new marketable young SF champion. Honda, Nissan and Toyota aren't above advancing more well liked or longer tenured drivers over more capable alternatives.

[JoeW04]

I know Seb Buemi and Di Grassi hardly see eye to eye, I know they would be in different cars but I wonder if that has anything to do with it, sure got some talent to choose from however

[TF110]

Originally Posted by Beryl

I would be surprised if Kunimoto was faster than Di Grassi in a representative test, seeing as the latter is proven to be one of the fastest LMP1 drivers and the former struggles to get near his teammates' pace in SGT and SF.

I reckon this is a political move by Toyota to reward their new marketable young SF champion. Honda, Nissan and Toyota aren't above advancing more well liked or longer tenured drivers over more capable alternatives.

Kaz Nakajima wasn't as fast as Rosberg in f1 but look at his pace in the lmp1. I don't know if Kunimoto is going to get the drive in the car with Hirakawa or instead of him, or even at all. He could be a reserve driver for all we know or just another test driver like Sutil. Japanese Autosport is the source. Japanese Samurai posted it on the last page before this one came out today.

[Flo aus N]

Lucas Di Grassi has never been a serious option für Toyota, not because they did not want him, but he simply is not allowed. All LMP1-Drivers in the VAG Group signed specific contracts which forbids them to drive for another LMP1-Team. They would be allowed to drive a GT3 or GTE or LMP2, but no LMP1-Hybrid Car like the TS050. The reason is quite simple: They are deeply involved in hybrid engineering and the VAG Group does not want that other manufactors benefit from the knowledge of their ones.

[chernaudi]

So is Lotterer's contract with VAG as a whole, or just Audi Sport? Asking because he's been the only Audi Sport LMP1 driver to find a ride with another team.

[Juntos]

Originally Posted by chernaudi

because he's been the only Audi Sport LMP1 driver to find a ride with another team.

It shows the quality (or lack of it) of the defunct Audi LMP1 team.

[chernaudi]

I wouldn't rate Toyota or Porsche any higher, given especially that TMG basically sacked one driver and semi-retired one since 2014, and two of Porsche's championship winning drivers from last year got bumped from the LMP1 program for basically not being fast enough compared to their teammates, or basically anyone else on the Audi or Toyota squads.

[TF110]

There's nothing wrong with replacing drivers. You're hired to perform, and if there's someone that's better, you either step up or you'll be replaced (unless it's f1 and you bring millions in sponsorship).

[chernaudi]

Or NASCAR, or Indy Car, or road racing...need I go on unless we're talking about factory owned or factory backed teams?

[TF110]

Doesn't matter. Even McLaren and Williams had pay drivers. Thankfully lmp1-h is devoid of that, right now.

[Akrapovic]

Not quite as simple as the best drivers get the seats, is it? There's a reason Toyota has Japanese drivers, and Porsche don't (and Audi didn't). But Porsche have more German drivers. And then there's the whole in-house development of drivers, etc.

To suggest there was a lack of quality in the Audi LMP drivers is kinda hilarious. That Treyluer guy will never amount to anything, and don't get me started on that other Frenchman. Doval or something. No quality in those teams.

[TF110]

Originally Posted by Akrapovic

Not quite as simple as the best drivers get the seats, is it? There's a reason Toyota has Japanese drivers, and Porsche don't (and Audi didn't). But Porsche have more German drivers. And then there's the whole in-house development of drivers, etc.

To suggest there was a lack of quality in the Audi LMP drivers is kinda hilarious. That Treyluer guy will never amount to anything, and don't get me started on that other Frenchman. Doval or something. No quality in those teams.

Now who would say that? I think the lmp1 guys are some of the best drivers in their discipline but certainly not over all of motorsport

[Flo aus N]

Originally Posted by chernaudi

So is Lotterer's contract with VAG as a whole, or just Audi Sport? Asking because he's been the only Audi Sport LMP1 driver to find a ride with another team.

VAG as a whole. Thats the reason why Di Grassi did not have any chance of testing the TS050 for 2017, even if he'd liked.

[TF110]

On the topic of choosing drivers, here's a little interview with Pechito Lopez on what he went through (with others) to get the Toyota seat http://www.fiawec.com/en/news/lopez-...-wec_4794.html

“There were very intense days of testing, like a job interview. Well, much harder than that!” he said.

“They assess the speed, consistency, regularity, the wear you create in the tyres, what you know about set-up, the feedback, the relationship with your engineers, with the drivers, if you are really a team player – a lot of things!

[Irie]

So Toyota didn't give TMG more money. They're running three cars with the same budget as last year.

http://www.autosport.com/news/report...financial-risk

[XtC24]

OMG.
I thought that Toyota have made the first part of the homework, i.e. going to le mans with three cars.
The second part would be making fast enough car, and the third would be reliable enough car.
Now, the second and especially third part is a huge question mark, as Vasselon said.
Again I remember Peugeot in 2010, they had 3, actually 4 fast cars and none of them finished the race due to lack of reliablility -> Audi won again.

I cannot understand, why a Company with big resources, wanting badly to win Le Mans, waiting for so long time and failing to make it so many times basically does the same error again. They will really need a Biiiig luck, which they did not have so far.
So the decision to run three cars was made by TMG, and the budget was not known to them at that time???
Maybe all this is somewhat connected with WRC programme, they have more luck and relevance to road cars there…

But another failure at Le Mans would cost them more than additional 1/3 of the budget which they should put into it.

[Damian Baldi]

The japanese don't like the easy way to do things.

[PhilipR]

Hmm interesting situation. I would have thought that Toyota would have bankrolled the 3rd car.

I hope this situation is not as a result of Toyota telling TMG this year they have to win Le Mans and if not they will retire from Prototype racing and as a result TMG is throwing everything at it.

[kvenom]

Well that's disappointing.