Toyota unveils revised LMP1 car for 2019/20 WEC season
Toyota has revealed an updated version of its TS050 Hybrid LMP1 car, featuring significant front-end aerodynamic revisions for the car's final FIA World Endurance Championship campaign.
A more distinct nose gives the car a different look to the previous version of the TS050 that claimed title honours in the 2018/19 WEC superseason, while the bodywork either side of the nose has been pushed back to reveal more of the splitter.
Toyota Motorsport GmbH technical director Pascal Vasselon stated that the fourth version of the TS050 was "not radically different to its predecessor" on the release of the images.
"The most obvious change is the bodywork," he said. "We have updated the aerodynamics of the car and elsewhere there are minor modifications for reliability.
"This year’s updates are about optimising details and reliability."
He claimed that the rate of development of Toyota's non-hybrid, privateer rivals in the LMP1 division of the WEC meant that the team could "not stand still".
"We have never under-estimated their capabilities so we needed to continuously improve our package wherever it was possible and efficient,” he explained.
2019/20 Toyota TS050 HYBRID
Photo by: Toyota Racing
The latest Toyota LMP1 car, which will run in livery largely similar to last season, has been unveiled ahead of the two-day Prologue pre-season test in Barcelona, where it will be joined by two P1 cars each from Rebellion Racing and the factory Ginetta Team LNT squad.
Rebellion will start the season at Silverstone in September with only one of its Gibson-engined R-13s, while Ginetta has yet to commit to fielding two of its AER-powered G60-LT-P1s while it is still finalising its programme.
A total of 30 cars feature on the provisional entry list for the season opener, with eight LMP2s, six GTE Pro cars and 11 GTE Am set to join the depleted LMP1 contingent.
The same number of cars are set to compete in the Prologue, but Aston Martin is only running one car in the GTE Pro class, offsetting the extra Rebellion entry.
Last weekend, Aston unveiled a new livery for its factory-run Vantage GTEs featuring 'British Racing Green' strakes on the rear of the car (pictured below).
Aston Martin Racing Vantage GTE livery
Photo by: Aston Martin Racing
Be part of Motorsport community
Join the conversationShare Or Save This Story
Why Porsche doesn't expect another WEC domination at Imola
Ferrari, Toyota receive biggest BoP breaks for WEC's Imola round
Why Peugeot had no choice but to revamp its radical Le Mans Hypercar
Vasselon appointed to new role as Toyota prepares for hydrogen Le Mans entry
Toyota has shown it was right to stay in WEC in lean years - Kobayashi
How Toyota’s sole survivor turned the tables at Spa
How real-time scrutineering ensures fair and consistent competition in motorsport
The day Button scored his 'best F1 win'... until next time!
New compound to thwart Porsche’s inspired Long Beach ‘no tires’ call
Surging Chase Briscoe says a win "is right around the corner"
Why Peugeot had no choice but to revamp its radical Le Mans Hypercar
How motorsport is embracing the opportunities of AI
The experiment WEC could revisit to magnify its boom period
How Porsche made the perfect start in WEC despite late drama in Qatar
Subscribe and access Motorsport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
Top Comments