[WEC] Toyota Hypercar Discussion

[Adam43]

Originally Posted by joeb

I agree, i like inverse color schemes between cars as an option. Having two cars look the same with maybe a red mirror vs white mirror, makes it difficult to tell the difference if the number panels aren't easy to see. !

Has the added advantage that if you run out of panels for one car it results in some odd looks.

[Pandamasque]

Originally Posted by Coldasice

DDef must have been used to activate the 'specific setting' (counter-measure) in order to maintain relatively reasonable stint lengths and stay on track. Also according to Toyota's press release, Akio Toyoda said that apparently Buemi helped come up with the counter-measure to the fuel system issue.

"Default" suggests the button resets some kind of system, but what exactly? I asked Craig Scarborough, even he's at a loss so far.

Meanwhile vibration could have been a completely unrelated issue that came and went (e.g. tires).

Originally Posted by J Jay

Perhaps Eurosport made a mistake?

NO WAAY!

Originally Posted by J Jay

Wide mouth is wiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiide.

But it's not by any means a dog. The big problem is the livery, but not due to the generic colours, it's the asymmetry that spoils the look.

I found this:


And also this: https://www.racedepartment.com/downl...ip-2021.44666/

Where credit is due though, Toyota GR010 has the most unusual side number panels I've ever seen. Actually they are "number windows". The numbers themselves are cut-outs covered in transparent perspex or something like that. The white illuminated part of the number is actually the back wall of that 3D box. Not only this is cool, I think it might actually be a more reliable solution for illuminated numbers.

[Adam43]

It’s possible that button did more than one thing and it’s actual function depended on what another switch, menu or setting was at.

The drivers had a way to work round the fuel system problem which meant they could at least get a fair number of laps in the stint. Better than changing the entire system!

[J Jay]

Originally Posted by Pandamasque

Where credit is due though, Toyota GR010 has the most unusual side number panels I've ever seen. Actually they are "number windows". The numbers themselves are cut-outs covered in transparent perspex or something like that. The white illuminated part of the number is actually the back wall of that 3D box. Not only this is cool, I think it might actually be a more reliable solution for illuminated numbers.

In the early days of the number panels, there were more than a few unscheduled pit stops to fix them. It's not something I've noticed recently, but it does seem to be a more reliable solution to have a cut-out number panel in front of a light box.

[Pandamasque]

@scarbstech: it turns out this is a driver default button, in the race it was programmed to reduce fuel consumption under braking.

[Aysedasi]

Originally Posted by Pandamasque

I found this:

.

The full red car looks wonderful! As does the mock TS020 version.....

[WyldStallion]

Toyota needs a solid color livery for sure. Maybe they can replace the lMP rear wing with that curved rear wing we saw in the original GR Super Sport. The headlights look to LMPish too. Put the GR Super Sport lights on that too.

With that said, Me thinks though Toyota never cared much about the looks of their race cars though.

[S griffin]

The one on the far right reminds me too much of the Porsche livery

[JoeW04]

https://www.motorsport.com/wec/news/...-test/6653064/

Who do you think Hirakawa would replace? Nakajima most likely for me & de vries replacing Lopez in the #7

[greenmachinets040]

Originally Posted by S griffin

The one on the far right reminds me too much of the Porsche livery

Agree! And the red one also.

Maybe Toyota should make a livery for at least one car as the TS020. But again, Gazoo Racing has its colours so there is not a big chance for livery change, maybe for a third car as an Artcar.

I really think that as the costs gone down a fair bit, Toyota should place a third car when serious competition comes.

[greenmachinets040]

Originally Posted by JoeW04

https://www.motorsport.com/wec/news/...-test/6653064/

Who do you think Hirakawa would replace? Nakajima most likely for me & de vries replacing Lopez in the #7

He should not replace anyone. Nakajima and Lopez are as far seasoned drivers as the other 4. Nakajima is in the genes of Toyota and Lopez is a really good and solid driver.

[J Jay]

Maybe Nakajima (or Toyota) wants to go back to a domestic schedule? He has a strong link with TOM'S in particular, and he spent a number of seasons doing double or even triple duty before the pandemic.

I can't think of a likelier candidate, assuming Hirakawa doesn't do an Ishiura.

[Aysedasi]

Personally I can't see any reason to replace any of them, unless someone is keen to move on. But there's always a need to do 'succession planning'.....

[Pandamasque]

Unpopular opinion: people keep bringing up the GT One livery, but I think it was okay at best. It's revered because of the car that carried it. Nobody mentions that the exact same livery adorned all Toyota Formula 1 cars for 8 years. I don't remember it being revered at the time or any nostalgia for it now.

The one iconic Toyota (non-sponsoship) livery I would bring back for contemporary works cars is this:

[Aysedasi]

Now to me that is pretty dull!

They need to bring back the three separate liveries from 1992....

[canaglia]

they had 3 separate liveries due sponsorships

the red/white was the denso car, blue/white the casio car and white/light blue should be the minolta car if memory helps me.
From 2016 all work toyota motorsport cars, from WEC to WRC have the usual boring white/red/black scheme of gazoo racing.
About gt-one, the iconic livery is the 1999 subliminal marlboro white and red, the f1 livery was loosely based on the gt-one 1998 livery.

[S griffin]

I think the red and white with maybe a bit of black is the generic livery for a works Toyota

[Aysedasi]

Originally Posted by canaglia

they had 3 separate liveries due sponsorships

the red/white was the denso car, blue/white the casio car and white/light blue should be the minolta car if memory helps me.
From 2016 all work toyota motorsport cars, from WEC to WRC have the usual boring white/red/black scheme of gazoo racing.
About gt-one, the iconic livery is the 1999 subliminal marlboro white and red, the f1 livery was loosely based on the gt-one 1998 livery.

Yep, I appreciate that the liveries in '92 were sponsor-related (they were all red and white by the next year), but having the three cars in such good looking liveries and so easy to tell apart was terrific.

[Pandamasque]

I specifically said "non-sponsorship". Most of the iconic liveries are tied to sponsorship by companies that either no longer exist or no longer involved at this level of the sport.

If I had to pick a favourite



But Denso are still involved in the sport and specifically with Toyota. So the current boring white and red is sort of a Denso livery still. Nothing stopping them from making it look more like that #7 in Aysedasi's post above.

Speaking of Minolta, there's a good chance we'll see a very competitively run Konica Milnolta Honda at Le Mans in less than 2 years!

[hondafan37]

Originally Posted by JoeW04

https://www.motorsport.com/wec/news/...-test/6653064/

Who do you think Hirakawa would replace? Nakajima most likely for me & de vries replacing Lopez in the #7

Pechito Lopez received the Toyota around 5 am in second place 10 seconds behind the Toyota No. 8 after the Kamui off-track that almost eliminated them from the race. And then he delivered the Toyota around 8 am with 2 minutes 10 seconds ahead of the No. 8 Toyota.
I honestly don't think Toyota wants to get rid of that kind of driver.

[J Jay]

Originally Posted by Pandamasque

@scarbstech: it turns out this is a driver default button, in the race it was programmed to reduce fuel consumption under braking.

To be more specific, it cycled the fuel pump on/off. The drivers were using it to try and flush the system to counter the effect of g-forces under braking on the fuel pump.

The engineers estimated a 35-40 minute stop for repairs, so they (aided by Buemi's insights and on-track testing) devised the DDef solution.

Speaking of Buemi, his early-morning on-track stop was because he forgot to press the button quickly enough to restart the fuel pump.

Source: Mike Conway (~4:15)

[Aysedasi]

Well, if Buemi came up with the idea (or the means by which it could work), massive kudos to him. Without it, the outcome could have been very different - and perhaps pretty exciting!

[kvenom]

Weird that Vasselon said they had fixed the fuel contamination issue from Monza yet obviously that was not the case

[Pandamasque]

Originally Posted by J Jay

To be more specific, it cycled the fuel pump on/off. The drivers were using it to try and flush the system to counter the effect of g-forces under braking on the fuel pump.

The engineers estimated a 35-40 minute stop for repairs, so they (aided by Buemi's insights and on-track testing) devised the DDef solution.

Speaking of Buemi, his early-morning on-track stop was because he forgot to press the button quickly enough to restart the fuel pump.

Source: Mike Conway (~4:15)

Fascinating! It's layers of stories like this that make this race so special.

[chernaudi]

Anyone have an idea what the two intakes are on the inside face of the rear wheel arches are? I want to say brake ducts, but the leading edges of the rear wheel arches already (it seems) has a pair of them.