[WEC] Toyota LMP1 Discussion

[TF110]

Nothing indicates Toyota will let go of Davidson or Lopez, especially the latter. He's been doing Toyota promotion just being in the car for Argentinian people. It's good to see the amount of following he has that support Toyota even more because he drives for them. Not to mention him doing some Argentinian touring car races for Toyota.

[chernaudi]

Fact is that unless Toyota fields a third car (which does seem unlikely), someone's getting sat for the races Alonso does, if he commits beyond LM. And if only for LM, why not a third car for two or so races? TMG should have the budget for that since they're not spending as much on R&D for the car next season.

[XtC24]

It makes sense for Alonso to do Spa and Le Mans only.
If Toyota fields three cars then it's no problem.
Why would he bother to race against weaker cars in 6h races?
Only to get experience in traffic maybe.

[roderick]

Originally Posted by chernaudi

Fact is that unless Toyota fields a third car (which does seem unlikely), someone's getting sat for the races Alonso does, if he commits beyond LM. And if only for LM, why not a third car for two or so races? TMG should have the budget for that since they're not spending as much on R&D for the car next season.

The biggest problem here is that TMG doesn't have full control over their budget towards WEC. Toyota in Japan does.
Which means, they can control what they spend their money on in regardless of what's best for the team.
Third car isn't something they want to spend their money on. unless they are willing to risk all three cars with not enough spare parts and testing times.

[Deleted]

If I was in charge of deciding how many cars they'd enter (and if ACO would accept):

Prologue - 1x or 2x (depending if they do other long tests)
Spa - 2x
LM - 3x
Silverstone - 1x
Fuji - 1x or 2x
Shanghai - 1x
Sebring - 2x
Spa '19 - 2x
LM '19 - 2x or 3x (2 if they already won in 2018, 3 if still going for the first win)

[Damian Baldi]

I don't know if Alonso will do WEC next year from the start before Le Mans, he will be very busy with the McLaren Renault. Maybe he could get more free time after Le Mans 2018 and get more practice at the end of the year and at the first races of 2019 season to be ready for Le Mans 2019.

[Deleted]

I suspect his pre-LM program would be pretty light and compact (especially comparing to the 500 running-up)

0-1 day for participating the February ACO Press Conference - or he doesn't bother and just sends a video
1 day somewhere for Toyota PR duties
3-4 days for Spa 6 Hours
1 day for the ACO Rookie Simulator in Paris
2 days for LM Test weekend

Then 7 days at the track for the actual race week

[Skemer]

Why not a third car for Le mans when Alonso and his sponsors put in part of the budget.Then it would be more affordable i'd say.Don't know the exact amount we are talking about here but it would surprise me if he'd not be able to at least raise a couple of million.

[hondafan37]

Originally Posted by Skemer

Why not a third car for Le mans when Alonso and his sponsors put in part of the budget.Then it would be more affordable i'd say.Don't know the exact amount we are talking about here but it would surprise me if he'd not be able to at least raise a couple of million.

The participation of Alonso in the WEC and Le Mans will generate a lot of extra repercussion and it is reasonable that he could attract some sponsors.
Santander have decided not to renew is contract as title sponsors of Ferarri and they had come from the hand of Alonso, their colors fit with those of the Toyota Gazoo Racing and it would be great to see them on the TS050.

[hondafan37]

Originally Posted by XtC24

It makes sense for Alonso to do Spa and Le Mans only.
If Toyota fields three cars then it's no problem.
Why would he bother to race against weaker cars in 6h races?
Only to get experience in traffic maybe.

I remember some statements from Alonso from 3 or 4 months ago, he said: "I do not know what I'm going to do next year but where I'm going I will win".
It is to be expected that the McLaren Renault 2018 will be more competitive in order to reach the podium but it is difficult to suppose as a winning car.
Alonso won his world championships in 2005 and 2006 more than 10 years ago and then it is reasonable that he want to return to be champion.
The victory in the 24 hours of Le Mans and the WEC world championship could be very interesting for him.
The only coincidence between F1 and WEC is COTA and the 6 hours of Fuji, COTA is the 18th race of the season one of the last and possibly at that time of the year he has no more chances to be an F1 champion and then he could also race in Fuji in the fight for the WEC title.

[Deleted]

Originally Posted by hondafan37

I remember some statements from Alonso from 3 or 4 months ago, he said: "I do not know what I'm going to do next year but where I'm going I will win".
It is to be expected that the McLaren Renault 2018 will be more competitive in order to reach the podium but it is difficult to suppose as a winning car.
Alonso won his world championships in 2005 and 2006 more than 10 years ago and then it is reasonable that he want to return to be champion.
The victory in the 24 hours of Le Mans and the WEC world championship could be very interesting for him.
The only coincidence between F1 and WEC is COTA and the 6 hours of Fuji, COTA is the 18th race of the season one of the last and possibly at that time of the year he has no more chances to be an F1 champion and then he could also race in Fuji in the fight for the WEC title.

But he won't be able to win the WEC title anyway if he doesn't enter 2019 Sebring, Spa, and LM, and we don't know how the F1 schedule looks yet then. LM shouldn't be clashing if the FIA respects the gentlements agreement (although we already know how that's turned out to before, look 2016) but Sebring has periodically clashed with Albert Park and Spa with Barcelona IIRC

Also I don't think he cares about the championship (he said somewhere he hasn't really even taken a look at the calendars), only winning the 24 Hours. The "other races" would just be practice and side fun

[TF110]

We'll see what happens. January is when Toyota say they will announce their drivers. Will he be announced then? If he isn't, does that mean he won't drive for Toyota? I think he could do the whole Super Season if he wanted. They may even fiddle with the dates to see to that, ya never know!

[Aysedasi]

Originally Posted by Chiana

Also I don't think he cares about the championship (he said somewhere he hasn't really even taken a look at the calendars), only winning the 24 Hours. The "other races" would just be practice and side fun

Agreed. At this point the championship is of no consequence for him. In future years, who knows....

[TF110]

Is this GAZOO RACING Super Sport the basis for the lmp1 future from Toyota? Their showing this concept off at the Tokyo Auto Salon https://twitter.com/Toyota_Hybrid/st...79984308719617

[Bcarr6]

Originally Posted by TF110

Is this GAZOO RACING Super Sport the basis for the lmp1 future from Toyota? Their showing this concept off at the Tokyo Auto Salon https://twitter.com/Toyota_Hybrid/st...79984308719617

Back end looks awful

[hondafan37]

Originally Posted by TF110

Is this GAZOO RACING Super Sport the basis for the lmp1 future from Toyota? Their showing this concept off at the Tokyo Auto Salon https://twitter.com/Toyota_Hybrid/st...79984308719617

Originally Posted by Bcarr6

Back end looks awful

we hope to see the final model, but for this photo I like it.

[GT6]

Looks good to me too

[Hiro]

TGR President Tomoyama said at TGR Festival on Dec 12, after demo driving TS050 himself, that releasing a commercial car utilizing their WEC related tech will take some time but they are releasing a concept car soon showing their vision; he said it will like a successor to LFA to show Toyota's sports car philosophy.

[roderick]

This Concept car is likely to be release for Tokyo Olympic in 2020.
Unlike WEC, the car will have V8 with possibly more than 4l engine.
(last I heard was 5l?)
I thought this car wouldn't have the wing/spoiler but I guess I was wrong...but I know the car will have coolest way to enter.(They don't have doors but got similar design to fighter jet cockpit)

[TF110]

Originally Posted by roderick

This Concept car is likely to be release for Tokyo Olympic in 2020.
Unlike WEC, the car will have V8 with possibly more than 4l engine.
(last I heard was 5l?)
I thought this car wouldn't have the wing/spoiler but I guess I was wrong...but I know the car will have coolest way to enter.(They don't have doors but got similar design to fighter jet cockpit)

That would set it apart from nearly every car if it's a top entry with a canopy like design. I've read around that there is a 4.0/4.4L V8 TT engine waiting to be used for cars like the LC F. I wonder if this will be coupled with 2 mgu's front and rear for a cool 1000+hp?

[roderick]

Official announcement has been made from Toyota to continue their WEC program.

http://toyotagazooracing.com/release...c/1219-01.html

[GasperG]

I like this comment from Akio Toyoda:
"The ever-better cars that Toyota pursues are honed and created via the extreme environment of motorsport. That is exactly why we will persistently engage in motorsport, without being swayed by the good and bad of economic times."

[S griffin]

That's great, we need them to stay and with Ginetta in the championship, there's more reason for them to stay. Hopefully they can win Le Mans this time

[TF110]

Great to hear it from the boss himself. He makes a great leader for those who want to see Toyota in motorsports.

[GT6]

Some good news for once