[WEC] Toyota LMP1 Discussion

[Giba]

It's been a longer time coming but fantastic news about them having three cars at Le Mans!

Originally Posted by Damian Baldi

Now the question is. Whom will be at the third car with Sarrazin? Derani? Button? Tréluyer?

Doubt Button as he still has a Honda contract, Ryo would be a good bet

[J Jay]

Finally.

[Japanese Samurai]

According to JP.Motorsport.com,
Ryo Hirakawa and Yuji Kunimoto are testing 2017 TS050 now.
One of the two would be the 3rd car driver.
http://jp.motorsport.com/wec/news/we...%82%82-870500/

[hondafan37]

Originally Posted by Damian Baldi

Me too! we haven't see an argentinian in a P1 car since Oscar Larrauri in 1991 with Brun Porsche. I wish him the best, he's a great guy who have worked very hard with very few support.

Yes, Pechito is very professional, he revolutionized the Argentinian motorsport when he return in 2007.
I became fanatic of him when he was driving the Honda Civic and the Torino and I love that he now drives for Toyota in LMP1.

[Acid09]

Originally Posted by Japanese Samurai

According to JP.Motorsport.com,
Ryo Hirakawa and Yuji Kunimoto are testing 2017 TS050 now.
One of the two would be the 3rd car driver.
http://jp.motorsport.com/wec/news/we...%82%82-870500/

The article also mentions Treluyer as possible candidate for the 3rd car.

[Japanese Samurai]

2017 version TS050 movie
https://youtu.be/G64_Sicpbk4?t=483

[kvenom]

The official 2017 WEC announcement replaying the final 5mins of Le Mans. Still feel the gutpunch....

[Victor_RO]

No Pipo Derani, he's been snapped up by Ford to replace Marino in the #67 car.

[NaBUru38]

López has plenty of experience in RWD tin-tops (TC, Top Race, GT1), but not with LMP1 power level of course.

[chernaudi]

The problem I see with the Treluyer to TMG rumor is that he's apparently (last I heard) still under contract with Audi Sport. Also, a Audi R8 GT3/GT300 team in Super GT are rumored to be looking into hiring Ben for this coming season.

However, Lotterer for all I know is still technically under contract to Audi Sport, and he's driving for Porsche this year, and Audi have been over the past several years been fairly generous with loaning drivers out to teams that they don't directly compete against (certainly true of the WEC since the Monday morning after Bahrain).

[crooky]

What's Montoya doing this year?

[Ferrari333SP]

Would love to see Montoya give it a go

[TF110]

It's going to be Sarrazin, a Japanese driver and my guess is a previous Audi driver.

Watching that teaser video I can't see much of a difference in the new 2017 car. The rear fender exits shape is changed and maybe the front end but of course it's a blurry video.

[Bubak]

Originally Posted by Japanese Samurai

2017 version TS050 movie
https://youtu.be/G64_Sicpbk4?t=483

Seems, that have revised front nose only until now (high nose style just like had R18 for example...). Nothing more. Of course, testing reliability and new components. That is for sure. Just like Porsche does.

[TF110]

Looks like the nose protrudes and drops down like an F1 car in this shot

[roderick]

This is what I hear so far.

1st and 2nd(almost done) tests are all about tire and aero.
The 3rd car driver that has not been announced is Ryo and someone.
(Yuji Kunimoto is just given opportunity as future Toyota driver rather than this year's candidate)

The car is alot better than last year in both reliability and powertrain .
(over 6000km achieved by a car at Aragon)

PS:the video is not from 2017 car so it's just for the show.

[GasperG]

3rd car tells me that Toyota is confident, car is fully developed to the last bits and tests were completed without faults.

Otherwise they would put all the effort into further developing only 2 cars, IMO that is the reason why they waited that long with the announcement.

[roderick]

Originally Posted by GasperG

3rd car tells me that Toyota is confident, car is fully developed to the last bits and tests were completed without faults.

Otherwise they would put all the effort into further developing only 2 cars, IMO that is the reason why they waited that long with the announcement.

I'm wouldn't say toyota is confident...The car is not fully developed (new engine only fired up couple month ago...). The tests weren't flawless...although it never is.
But, I am looking forward to hearing more about new engine performance over the next month or two

[Scorchess]

Is it the same twin turbo V6?

[claude2cv]

Originally Posted by GasperG

3rd car tells me that Toyota is confident, car is fully developed to the last bits and tests were completed without faults.

Otherwise they would put all the effort into further developing only 2 cars, IMO that is the reason why they waited that long with the announcement.

Or did they just out manouvre Porsche? By making the announcement at the last minute they have not left Porsche time to enter a third car.

Sean

[Aysedasi]

But the third Toyota was rumoured months ago. With what happened last year, I would have put money on them going all-out this year.....

[TF110]

On the third car subject, they build spare chassis every year, right? So if they don't have a testing accident that damages the tub, they produce 3, maybe 4 cars in total this year? I would guess it's not a huge expense to make another chassis if they plan on that from the beginning. So what costs a lot more? Additional staff and drivers is my guess. Anyone with more knowledge on this?

[Akrapovic]

Originally Posted by TF110

On the third car subject, they build spare chassis every year, right? So if they don't have a testing accident that damages the tub, they produce 3, maybe 4 cars in total this year? I would guess it's not a huge expense to make another chassis if they plan on that from the beginning. So what costs a lot more? Additional staff and drivers is my guess. Anyone with more knowledge on this?

Chassis aren't a big problem, but think about everything else. Engines have the usual FIA usage restrictions, so you need another set of engines to go with it. Engines are infinitely more expensive now because they need an associated hybrid system. You also need more spares - you can't just build up another car from the spares, because then you have less spare parts, but more cars that these spares are to service. So you need to produce even more spares. Maybe not chassis, but certainly bodykits and turbos and what not - the usual things that break during events. Fuel, tyres and other supplied parts also need purchased. Then fright goes up too. Luckily for Toyota, they're based in Germany and the first events are road driven.

Then staff to run it all. On the assumption that TMG and ORECA manage the time very efficiently, having them produce more parts and build up another car isn't just make everyone work harder - you'll need more people to do it. You'll potentially need another transporter to move it and its spares, and you'll need the staff at the track, including a fully trained pit crew and accommodation and feeding of the additional staff.

It's a lot of small costs that add up to a large number.

[Beryl]

Originally Posted by roderick

1st and 2nd(almost done) tests are all about tire and aero.
The 3rd car driver that has not been announced is Ryo and someone.
(Yuji Kunimoto is just given opportunity as future Toyota driver rather than this year's candidate)

Maybe LMP1 might suit him better, but Yuji Kunimoto is a thoroughly unimpressive driver IMO. I know he won the SF title this past year, but his teammate Ishiura was still the faster and more impressive driver at Cerumo and he was carried in Super GT by teammate Sekiguchi.

Speaking of Yuhi Sekiguchi, that's the driver I want to see given consideration for LMP1. He's matured immensely over the last few years and turned himself into a genuine ace in both of Japan's premier series.

[TF110]

Originally Posted by Akrapovic

Chassis aren't a big problem, but think about everything else. Engines have the usual FIA usage restrictions, so you need another set of engines to go with it. Engines are infinitely more expensive now because they need an associated hybrid system. You also need more spares - you can't just build up another car from the spares, because then you have less spare parts, but more cars that these spares are to service. So you need to produce even more spares. Maybe not chassis, but certainly bodykits and turbos and what not - the usual things that break during events. Fuel, tyres and other supplied parts also need purchased. Then fright goes up too. Luckily for Toyota, they're based in Germany and the first events are road driven.

Then staff to run it all. On the assumption that TMG and ORECA manage the time very efficiently, having them produce more parts and build up another car isn't just make everyone work harder - you'll need more people to do it. You'll potentially need another transporter to move it and its spares, and you'll need the staff at the track, including a fully trained pit crew and accommodation and feeding of the additional staff.

It's a lot of small costs that add up to a large number.

The drivetrain is made in Japan then assembled in TMG iirc. So that may be a help/hurt situation. They can make the hybrid and engine on their own time and ship them to TMG in Germany so they could have a few of them waiting to go. On the other hand, imagine how far away that is and how long it takes to receive them. But I'm sure all that is taken care of before the season. My line of thinking is they build more than just 2 cars regardless. And come to think of it, there's a limit on staff members at the track in place, so they won't be spending too much on bringing more of the team.