[WEC] Toyota Hypercar Discussion

[S griffin]

Originally Posted by Adam43

Average Lap time

I think this line up is a little more consistent than the Ferrari crew. Is that a difference maker?

Could well be the key. With a driver lineup like that, there is a very good chance they could have enough in hand to beat Ferrari and be quick at the important parts of the 24 hours

[greenmachinets040]

Originally Posted by S griffin

Could well be the key. With a driver lineup like that, there is a very good chance they could have enough in hand to beat Ferrari and be quick at the important parts of the 24 hours

Exactly! What I am worried the most about is the rain that is coming...

[joeb]

Originally Posted by greenmachinets040

I would say the difference maker was seen in the 3rd free practice. Both Toyotas were circulating at a very neat and steady average laptime pace, better than all the cars.


I am making more worries about the weather update, on saturday there are 25 mm-s of rain expected. That would launch chaos!


there is a high possibility that the field would start behind safety car and circulating like this for hoooours.


Or, the Race will be red flagged with the time ticking.

I forgot about starting under safety car, what a low key start to a 100th anniversary! as long as that 25mm is spread out over 6 hours or so, i think they won't need a red flag.

[Matador]

Originally Posted by GasperG

TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Unveils "GR H2 Racing Concept" at Le Mans 24 Hours

I wonder what is the tank size and whether it's using compressed or liquefied hydrogen.

This looks sensational. Front end reminiscent of the GR GT3 Concept with a GR010 rear. That being said, I doubt that a car that far off from racing would be shown with it's bodywork anywhere near completed form .... right?


Thinking of Toyota's habit of hiding things in plain sight as of recent, I'd even be tempted to think that maybe we're looking at a GR020 (just with H2 propulsion).... if it wasn't for the narrow width of the cockpit. Anybody has live pics?

[TF110]

Originally Posted by Matador

This looks sensational. Front end reminiscent of the GR GT3 Concept with a GR010 rear. That being said, I doubt that a car that far off from racing would be shown with it's bodywork anywhere near completed form .... right?


Thinking of Toyota's habit of hiding things in plain sight as of recent, I'd even be tempted to think that maybe we're looking at a GR020 (just with H2 propulsion).... if it wasn't for the narrow width of the cockpit. Anybody has live pics?

The show/live car looks exactly the same. Narrow cockpit and all. Imo its about the same size as the Ferrari.

[S griffin]

Originally Posted by greenmachinets040

Exactly! What I am worried the most about is the rain that is coming...

Yes, that would mess up everyone's strategy. It will depend how hard and for how long it rains for. And if it does dry out, how quickly it does. If it rains for the first few hours, as it looks likely too, then the race really starts once it's dry enough for everyone is on slicks, providing it doesn't rain again for the rest of the 24 hours

[Gerard C]

As often the case with non permanent tracks spread on several zip codes is that it can be dry at one place and see pooring rain at others.

[Alan52]

I personally am glad to see Rob Leupen questioning the BOP adjustments with “Is it a show or is it a competition?”
Anyone defying the ACO Cone Of Silence Rule has my support.

[J Jay]

The same Rob Leupen crying about fuel tank size in 2013? Complaining about overspending in 2015-16? Griping about the hypercar regulations every five minutes? He knows the game he's playing; if he doesn't like it, alternative racing series are available.

[Matador]

Originally Posted by J Jay

The same Rob Leupen crying about fuel tank size in 2013? Complaining about overspending in 2015-16? Griping about the hypercar regulations every five minutes? He knows the game he's playing; if he doesn't like it, alternative racing series are available.

The current regulations provide a very different environment today don't they?

[J Jay]

Originally Posted by Matador

The current regulations provide a very different environment today don't they?

I don't think so; if we're honest the EoT regulations were BoP with a green ribbon wrapped around them. Toyota, for various reasons, lost out then, but they benefitted when they were the only factory left. Good on them too, for not chasing the rampant development costs of the VAG brands and being able to maintain their program to pick up well-earned victories.

Now they are not the only factory in the top class, and it seems disingenuous that only when Toyota are apparently on the back foot* that Leupen cries foul about the race being somehow less valid than it was before. It sounds like pre-emptive sour grapes.

*They still have great race pace, and I think most - myself included - would sill have Toyota as favourites for their experience and reliability.

[TF110]

We remember the talks about diesel fuel vs petrol and his voice was heard. The same thing with spending when the Porsche and Audi were bringing different bodywork every couple races. I'd rather the eot than current bop, but theres going to be complaints and compliments regardless.

[kvenom]

#7 is cursed

fake-marshall gate
re-wired the TPMS wrong giving a false puncture
crashed into entering a slow-zone

Even when they won they had those fuel pump issues.

[Matador]

Originally Posted by kvenom

#7 is cursed

lol. Cant wait to see a documentary "Lucky7"

[Gerard C]

Strange they cant use the electric motor only to join the pits when needed. A second hand Prius could I think…

[Gerard C]

Originally Posted by Alan52

Anyone defying the ACO Cone Of Silence Rule has my support.

Not only ACO.

[Matador]

Originally Posted by Gerard C

Strange they cant use the electric motor only to join the pits when needed. A second hand Prius could I think…

This may be a design "deficiency" regarding the battery capacity, but contingent of it not being bigger because of how much you can actually deploy the ERS and how much is recoverable, ergo not needing to tote around such a big battery cause you can only make use of it in an odd situation like that? I'd have to go back through the tech regs again.

[Gerard C]

I see your point. Thanks for checking. Did you see this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PDy82c2jeew at 0"42 front wheels are spinning. At 57", Arnage braking point, no more brakes on the front axle again.

[Matador]

Originally Posted by Gerard C

I see your point. Thanks for checking. Did you see this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PDy82c2jeew at 0"42 front wheels are spinning. At 57", Arnage braking point, no more brakes on the front axle again.

Very sharp eyes. Good spotting! Not sure how that works, obv at 42 sec the car was in reverse? But that is quite interesting.

[kvenom]

Akio Toyoda is not happy about the BoP at all:

The secondary statement released from Toyota on Monday morning came from Akio Toyoda, Toyota’s chairman.

It was rather more pointed, to say the least…

“In this year’s Le Mans 24 Hours race, battles outside the racetrack” hindered everyone’s battles as sportsmen,” it reads.

“I am truly sorry, sorry, and sorry about this. However, in such a way, everyone in the team fought fair and square. Finishing in second place is truly amazing. Thanks guys. Let’s all brag about this runner-up!

“Let’s proudly prove that all of Team Morizo fought together!”

https://www.dailysportscar.com/2023/...-notebook.html

Yikes.

[Aysedasi]

Ah well, you can't win 'em all.......

[Matador]

Originally Posted by kvenom

Akio Toyoda is not happy about the BoP at all:



https://www.dailysportscar.com/2023/...-notebook.html

Yikes.

Pretty sure that he definitely wouldn't be pleased. I don't think they are at risk of going anywhere at the moment, they will want to come back and try again next year for sure and prove the critics wrong, but I think even more telling is this


Toyota WEC hydrogen Program

Toyota is the first major manufacturer to have presented such a concept race car, although Leupen said that doesn’t indicate they’ll enter the category that’s been targeted for a 2026 launch in the FIA World Endurance Championship.
“I think some things have to happen for that before we would take a decision like this,” he told Sportscar365.
“Stability of rules, for example. I think [Akio Toyoda, Toyota Motor Corporation chairman] made that very clear.
“There’s no commitment from that side at all, and I think this BoP [at Le Mans in Hypercar], what has happened, is a good sign that when you do something like this, you need to have confidence, and at the moment there is not.

[Gerard C]

Ho poor Akio, I understand… What a mess. Confidence, you mean? I'd like to refresh his memory, everybody had confidence before the Celica '95 fooled the whole WRC. And when the tests were restrited in F1, they just "bought" the Paul Ricard track to circumvet the regulations. Plus the ban from Nascar.

He's not happy bunny? WTF? Just tryin as others do to influence the instances, which is part of the game for sure. But when it comes to be a flourty years old woman with five children pretending she's a virgin, its just laughable. Ta!

[Matador]

Originally Posted by Gerard C

Ho poor Akio, I understand… What a mess. Confidence, you mean? I'd like to refresh his memory, everybody had confidence before the Celica '95 fooled the whole WRC. And when the tests were restrited in F1, they just "bought" the Paul Ricard track to circumvet the regulations. Plus the ban from Nascar.

He's not happy bunny? WTF? Just tryin as others do to influence the instances, which is part of the game for sure. But when it comes to be a flourty years old woman with five children pretending she's a virgin, its just laughable. Ta!

Neither Toyota's Gazoo Racing division nor Akio were around for any one those incidents were they?



I could go through lists of all the manufacturers on the current wec grid involved in circumventing regulations across various disciplines over the course of time, but it bears little relevance to the discussion at hand doesn't it? There's absolutely no need to be condescending.

[J Jay]

Originally Posted by Matador

Neither Toyota's Gazoo Racing division nor Akio were around for any one those incidents were they?

No, but they were involved in politicking of their own, which I've mentioned earlier in the thread, in the middle and later stages of LMP1.

I understand the frustration with the late BoP change, and I agree in principle - it went against what the ACO had stated and should not have occured. But this pure and honourable racing notion TMG are clearly playing on is rank hypocrisy, and somewhat insulting to the other factories.

I dare say Toyota's recent success has inflated a few egos.