conceptcarz.com

2013 Toyota TS030 Hybrid

TOYOTA RACING REVEALS UPDATED TS030 HYBRID FOR 2013

2013 Toyota TS030 Hybrid
TOYOTA Racing today unveiled the revised TS030 HYBRID car which will spearhead the team's quest for victory in the Le Mans 24 Hours and the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) this season.2013 Toyota TS030 Hybrid
Following a successful roll-out earlier this month, TOYOTA Racing begins the first full test of the 2013-specification TS030 HYBRID at Paul Ricard in southern France tomorrow.

2013 Toyota TS030 Hybrid
After an impressive debut in the WEC in 2012, which included three victories in just six races, the team returns with an ambition to win both the Le Mans 24 Hours and the WEC title.


2013 Toyota TS030 HybridAlex Wurz, Nicolas Lapierre and Kazuki Nakajima team up again in the #7 TS030 HYBRID. The #8 will compete outside of Le Mans for the first time, with Anthony Davidson, Stéphane Sarrazin, and Sébastien Buemi driving.

The team will again utilise the TOYOTA HYBRID System - Racing powertrain, developed exclusively for motorsport by TOYOTA's Motor Sport Division in Higashifuji.

A unique super capacitor-based hybrid system delivers 300hp of boost automatically, on top of the 530hp generated by a 3.4litre, normally-aspirated V8 petrol engine.


Ahead of a completely new development for 2014 due to regulation changes, TOYOTA's Motor Sport Division in Higashifuji has fine-tuned this year's powertrain to improve power, efficiency, management of component usage and reliability.

The race-winning TS030 HYBRID chassis has also been modified for the upcoming season, with increased performance, reliability and serviceability the priorities.

TOYOTA Motorsport GmbH (TMG), which designs, builds and operates the TS030 HYBRID, has used its extensive R&D testing facilities and experienced engineers to deliver the next evolution.

A revised aerodynamic package, including an updated monocoque, will deliver improved performance whilst minimising the impact of updated regulations in 2013 which increase the minimum weight for manufacturer LMP1 cars by 15kg.

2013 Toyota TS030 HybridThe complete WEC schedule is: Silverstone, ÚK (14 April); Spa-Francorchamps, Belgium (4 May); Le Mans, France (22 June); Sao Paulo, Brazil (1 September); Austin, Únited States (22 September); Fuji, Japan (20 October); Shanghai, China (10 November); Bahrain (30 November).

Yoshiaki Kinoshita, Team President:

What are your feelings ahead of TOYOTA Racing's second season in WEC?

I am very excited by the new season and I cannot wait for it to start. We achieved more than we expected in 2012 but this only motivates us to push harder and enjoy more success. I am eager to see how the updated TS030 HYBRID performs in race conditions and it's normal to also be a little tense before a season starts. We are competing against very tough opposition and we knew from the start of this project that we have to perform at our top level to achieve our goals. We believe we have made strong progress with the car but we will not know if it is enough until the chequered flag falls at Le Mans. My dream is to see a TS030 HYBRID crossing the line first.

Is it realistic to think about the Le Mans and WEC titles?
We took three out of six WEC races in 2012, and led Le Mans as well, so we showed not only potential, but solid results too. As a team we made big progress last year; we are still developing as a team but we can be proud of our hard work and fast learning. I believe it is realistic to target both titles but it will certainly not be easy; clearly we face an extremely strong competitor. It is a big challenge to become number one. We have huge respect for Audi's achievements and abilities, so we expect an exciting competition in WEC this year.

Have you enjoyed your return to endurance racing?
Personally I have many memories of endurance racing, particularly of being engine engineer on the TS010 in 1992 when we finished first at Monza and second at Le Mans. So it was good to be back in the world of endurance racing last year. We enjoyed the competition and the atmosphere in the paddock, plus some fantastic race weekends in front of great crowds. I'm looking forward to more of the same this year.

Pascal Vasselon, Technical Director:

How significant is the update to the TS030 HYBRID?

There is a major regulation change in 2014 so this year's car has to be an evolution of our initial concept. The obvious target is to fix all the little issues we have found during the last season. The very first one is that the 2012 car, being a laboratory car, was able to accept front and rear hybrid systems, so we have redesigned the monocoque to optimize it without the front motor. Last year's performance was very satisfying and we felt we ticked most boxes so there has been no concept change, just refinement and optimization of the 2012 car.

What was the reason to retain all six drivers?
We thoroughly enjoyed working with Alex, Nicolas, Kazuki, Anthony, Stéphane and Sébastien in 2012 and their performances more than justified our choice. Retaining the same drivers was an easy choice. As well as showing impressive speed and great team spirit, they all contributed to developing the car and team during our first season. With a limited testing programme, their experience and dedication was a major factor in helping us win races in our first season of WEC. We cannot imagine a stronger driver line-up with which to approach next season.

Rob Leupen, Director Business Operations:

What was the most satisfying aspect of 2012 for you?

The development of the team as a unit was impressive. When we started the project we brought together staff from TMG, Motor Sport Division and ORECA - people from different cultures and with different types of experience. Very quickly we saw the group come together as a team, working together to solve problems and increase our performance level. Thanks to the positive approach and dedication of all team members and partners, we have taken a big step towards maturity in endurance racing. We still have work to do and lessons to learn, but the last year has shown how quickly this team can progress.

What are your ambitions for 2013?
We are motivated by winning so our ambition is to win Le Mans for the first time and to win our first FIA World Championship title since the World Rally Championship in 1999. But away from our on-track ambitions, I also hope to see the WEC go from strength to strength. Last year was a very encouraging first season back for the WEC and in particular I was impressed with the large, enthusiastic crowds we saw at venues like Fuji Speedway and Interlagos. We are part of an ambitious championship which has the potential to grow significantly as fans become familiar with the great racing, friendly atmosphere and technical innovation which are the hallmarks of WEC.

Hisatake Murata, Hybrid Project Leader:

How do you evaluate the performance of the TOYOTA Hybrid System - Racing in 2012?
It was a great experience for me simply to see this powertrain driving a TOYOTA LMP1 car for the first time and since that moment the story got better and better. Our system performed exceptionally well and clearly demonstrated the additional performance it is possible to generate via a hybrid system. I am very proud of the engineers, technicians and partners who developed and mastered this advanced technology; their hard work really paid off. Our reward was more than winning races; it was constantly motivating for us to hear the positive comments from the drivers about the extra 300hp hybrid boost and to watch them use this to their advantage on the track.

What has changed on the TOYOTA HYBRID System - Racing?
The major milestones in development of our hybrid system are 2012, when it was integrated into the TS030 HYBRID for the first time, and 2014, when the technical regulations change significantly. For this year we have achieved some incremental improvements while including some pre-testing of 2014 technologies. We have polished up things like power and efficiency whilst also fine-tuning the powertrain to enhance reliability. Overall we are confident we again have a very competitive and reliable powertrain.

John Litjens, Project Leader Chassis:

How do you evaluate the performance of the TS030 HYBRID in 2012?

We were very pleased with how the car performed last year. When we started the design process we had three priorities: integrating the hybrid system, aerodynamic efficiency and tyre management. Over the course of the season our car showed itself to be very strong in all three areas so we hit our targets for our first season. Nevertheless, we found many small areas for improvement during the season. We have prioritised the most important areas and attempted to address these with the updated specification; there is always room for improvement.

How many changes have been made for the 2013 TS030 HYBRID compared to last year's car?
We took the chance to fine-tune various aspects of the car, making an evolution of the 2012 specification rather than a new concept. We have removed the front hybrid capability, resulting in more efficient packaging and aerodynamics. This helps us to manage the 15kg minimum weight increase without compromising performance too much. Our simulations show we have made good progress in performance, and our hands-on experience suggests we have eliminated some of the serviceability issues which occasionally cost time in 2012.

Source - Toyota

TOYOTA Racing Earns Le Mans Podium

TOYOTA Racing achieved an emotional runners-up finish in the Le Mans 24 Hours after a rollercoaster race which saw drivers and team overcome immense challenges.

The #8 TS030 HYBRID of Anthony Davidson, Sébastien Buemi and Stéphane Sarrazin finished second while the #7 of Alex Wurz, Nicolas Lapierre and Kazuki Nakajima completed a satisfying week for the team by taking fourth.

The race was marred by the death of Allan Simonsen, who succumbed to injuries sustained when his #95 Aston Martin suffered a heavy accident just a few minutes into the race.


2013 Toyota TS030 HybridTOYOTA Racing mourns his passing and sends its sincerest condolences to his family, friends and team.

A chaotic race featured regularly-changing weather causing treacherous track conditions which contributed to 11 safety car periods and made driving extremely difficult for the drivers.

The #7 overcame a turbulent 24 hours which saw it face several challenges, including a loss of fuel pressure early in the race, a slow in-lap to conserve fuel and two precautionary tyre changes when sensors indicated slow punctures.


With just over an hour to go, the #7 was in a thrilling battle for third until a very heavy rain shower made track conditions virtually impossible. Nicolas could do little to prevent his TS030 HYBRID sliding off the track and into the barriers.

Nico bravely brought the car back to the pits and superb work from his crew repaired the heavy damage to the front bodywork and suspension within 30 minutes. That allowed him to take the flag in fourth place.

The #8 enjoyed a much smoother run despite the difficult circumstances, losing time only when its fuel stop window twice came during safety car periods which caused Stéphane to be held at the end of pit lane until he could rejoin.

A day of perfect reliability for the #8 saw it push for victory before eventually completing the 24 hours just a lap behind the winning Audi #2.

2013 Toyota TS030 HybridThat second place equals TOYOTA's best finish at Le Mans as the TS030 HYBRID matched the results of the TS010 (1992), 94C-V (1994) and TS020 (1999).

Yoshiaki Kinoshita, Team President: 'Firstly, congratulations to Audi for their victory. It was great to compete with them in such an exciting race. I am very proud of our team today; we truly performed like a team and we earned this result. We never gave up or lost focus, even in difficult circumstances. To get both cars to the finish and to stand on the podium was a very satisfying result. I will always remember the determination and team work showed by everyone after the #7 was damaged. It was very emotional for me to see this because it showed our team spirit. So I would like to say thank you to the team and also the drivers, who gave everything for us. I am happy with this result but my dream is to win Le Mans so I am determined we will come back even stronger next year.'

TS030 HYBRID #7 (Alex Wurz, Nicolas Lapierre, Kazuki Nakajima)
Grid: 5th
Driver order: Nicolas / Alex / Kazuki / Nicolas /Alex / Kazuki / Nicolas
Race: 4th, 341 laps (+ 7 laps), 30 pit stops. Fastest lap: 3min 25.718secs

Alex Wurz: 'Congratulations to Audi #2, they won a very dramatic race which was overshadowed by the loss of one of our colleagues, which we are very sorry for. From our point of view we are very happy and proud that we brought one car on to the podium, so congratulations also to Anthony, Sébastien and Stéphane. We were always within a short distance to the leaders; it was a very strong showing. We shouldn't forget that Audi has a very high level after dominating for the last decade so it was a very encouraging showing for us.'

Nicolas Lapierre: 'I think it is a great day for TOYOTA Racing to get on the podium in the Le Mans 24 hours. We came quite close to the victory and we can be proud about this considering our team is only 18 months old. The fact that the two cars finished the race without any major technical trouble is a big achievement. Únfortunately on our car I made a mistake which took us out of the fight for a podium. We had to push to get a third place finish and it didn't work out. We finished fourth which is a disappointment but when I brought the car back to the garage I was so proud of the mechanics. They did really a great job and I was emotional to go back on the track after this.'

2013 Toyota TS030 HybridKazuki Nakajima: 'It was an exciting battle with Audi #3 and that is something we didn't expect from the qualifying results. Now I can't wait to come back next year and challenge for the win. Thanks to all the team for the great job; it's good for everyone that our team-mates went to the podium. It is a pity it wasn't one step more. For our car it was good to finish the race even if the result was not ideal. As a team we worked very hard and we can be proud of how we reacted to the accident towards the end. After that it feels great to see the chequered flag but I have mixed feelings, especially after yesterday's sad news.'

TS030 HYBRID #8 (Anthony Davidson, Sébastien Buemi, Stéphane Sarrazin)
Grid: 4th
Driver order: Anthony / Sébastien / Stéphane / Anthony / Stéphane / Anthony / Sébastien
Race: 2nd, 347 laps (+ 1lap), 30 pit stops. Fastest lap: 3min 25.151secs

Anthony Davidson: 'The conditions were really tough but the team and the car did not miss a beat. Everyone pulled together; TOYOTA Racing did a great job and I always said if we all do the job that I know we can do, we will get at least a podium. We didn't have the ultimate speed from the car to win, that was clear from the moment we arrived here, but we didn't give up, we kept pushing and we knew this was a race in which anything can happen. Únfortunately yesterday morning's accident for Allen proved that so tragically. It was particularly poignant for me after what happened last year. It was amazing for me to bounce back and finally end up on the podium at Le Mans. I've always dreamed of this and it was a fantastic feeling.'

Sébastien Buemi: 'It was a very challenging race for us, and everyone, with the conditions. We knew that at any time mistakes could happen but my team-mates drove a fantastic race and the team did such a good job. I am really happy because we worked very hard in our endurance testing and still we were not sure if we had done enough. Then to get here and have no problems at all, finishing the race in second place, it is a great, great job for the whole team. Obviously there's a bit of frustration because we always want to win. But we improved a lot since last year and we showed that we are getting there; maybe Audi has to worry a little bit for next year!'

Stéphane Sarrazin: 'It is an amazing result for the team and it's very encouraging for the future. We pushed really hard since last year and the team put in a huge amount of effort; they gave their maximum all the time. The car was just amazing this weekend. We had no problems, no reliability issue. We did our best but Audi were just a bit quicker than us. Sébastien and Anthony did a great job in tricky conditions in which it was easy to make a mistake. We saw many crashes and unfortunately a very bad accident yesterday. Now we are just very happy about our race, our team, our mechanics and engineers. I am so happy to be part of this team; I am a lucky boy.'

Source - Toyota

Recent Vehicle Additions

Related Automotive News

Into the Unknown for Toyota Racing

Into the Unknown for Toyota Racing

Sept. 16, 2013 - TOYOTA Racing heads into unchartered territory this weekend with its first visit to the United States, for the inaugural Six Hours of Circuit of the Americas, the fifth round of the FIA World Endurance Championship. Anthony...
Toyota to Launch 'New Era' of High-MPG Hybrids, Expand Its Global Hybrid Rollout

Toyota to Launch 'New Era' of High-MPG Hybrids, Expand Its Global Hybrid Rollout

Early information on Next-Generation Prius VP Carter challenges industry 5 million U.S. hybrid sales by end of 2016 Global verification tests of new wirelessinductive charging system 2015 hydrogen fuel cell vehicle at Tokyo and CES shows Y...

Driver Line-Up Adjustment Toyota Gazoo Racing

Toyota City, Japan, May 16, 2017 - (JCN Newswire) - Toyota GAZOO Racing can confirm a modified driver line-up to optimise its competitive level in next months Le Mans 24 Hours, the third round of the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC). ...
Toyota Gazoo Racing

Toyota Gazoo Racing

Pushing the limits for better In 2015 Toyota united its motorsports activities in Toyota Gazoo Racing, putting motorsport at the centre of its commitment to make ever-better cars. Toyota has long recognised the value of motorsport, the companys...
SILVERSTONE DEBUT FOR TOYOTA TS040 HYBRID

SILVERSTONE DEBUT FOR TOYOTA TS040 HYBRID

Cologne, Germany - TOYOTA Racing starts the 2014 FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) season with a race debut for its new 1000PS TS040 HYBRID in the Six Hours of Silverstone this weekend. The new car, which features TOYOTAs ground-breaking...
Into the Unknown for Toyota Racing

Into the Unknown for Toyota Racing

Sept. 16, 2013 - TOYOTA Racing heads into unchartered territory this weekend with its first visit to the United States, for the inaugural Six Hours of Circuit of the Americas, the fifth round of the FIA World Endurance Championship. Anthony...
Toyota Racing Returns For Interlagos

Toyota Racing Returns For Interlagos

Cologne, Germany - TOYOTA Racing returns to the scene of its first victory for this weekends fourth round of the FIA World Endurance Championship, the Six Hours of Sao Paulo. A year ago, the #7 TS030 HYBRID of Alex Wurz and Nicolas Lapierre...