Toyota TS030 Hybrid
Following the emergence of a couple of leaked images last week, Toyota Racing has officially unveiled its all-new TS030 Hybrid race car.
It couples a 3.4 litre, normally-aspirated, V8 petrol engine with THS-R (Toyota Hybrid System - Racing) that powers an electric motor. The benefit of such a configuration is that energy can be recovered under braking and then released to help acceleration out of corners, thereby reducing both lap times and fuel consumption. As the regulations dictate that only two wheels can be driven by the hybrid components, part of the test programme will evaluate whether the motor should be front- or rear-mounted.
Run by Toyota Motorsport from its base in Cologne, the team will be competing in the LMP1 class of the inaugural FIA World Endurance Championship.
A debut appearance is scheduled for the second round of the series, which is the Six Hours of Spa-Francorchamps in May. Just one car will be entered in that event, with a confirmed driver line-up of Alex Wurz, Nicolas Lapierre and Kazuki Nakajima.
The following month sees the main race of the championship, the Le Mans 24 Hours. Toyota Racing will be competing with two TS030 Hybrids in the French classic, although the drivers for the second car have yet to be announced.
