Toyota Fired Up For The Nurburgring

BY Riz Baig

Toyota Fired Up For The Nurburgring – Jul 24, 2016– Aichi , Japan (Techreleased) – Toyota GAZOO Racing is determined to bounce back from the heartbreak of Le Mans when it resumes its World Endurance Championship campaign this weekend.

Driver and 2014 world champion Anthony Davidson summed up the team’s resolve, saying he was “definitely more fired up than ever” for the six-hour race at the famed Nürburgring grand prix circuit in Germany.

Team president Toshio Sato said touching messages of support from fans and rivals alike after Le Mans had spurred the team as it prepares to fight for victory.

“We want to race again and we do so with even more motivation and team spirit; the Nürburgring race is a great opportunity for us,” Mr Sato said.

Toyota’s TS050 Hybrid race cars have proven their competitiveness this season, leading two of the first three races until close to the end, only to be denied by rare mechanical failures.

At Le Mans last month, misfortune struck just minutes before the chequered flag for Davidson’s #5 car, which he shares with Sébastien Buemi and Kazuki Nakajima.

Second place at Le Mans for the #6 TS050 Hybrid, in the hands of Stéphane Sarrazin, Mike Conway and Kamui Kobayashi, ensures they remain in contention for the drivers’ world championship.

Toyota’s two race cars will sport a markedly different look in Germany with the debut of an aerodynamic package designed to generate ultra-high downforce for the tight 5.137-kilometre track.

Updated bodywork at the front and back was developed in the wind tunnels of the team’s Toyota Motorsport GmbH base in Cologne, just one hour’s drive from the Nürburgring.

The team plans to use practice sessions starting on Friday to analyse and fine-tune the new package ahead of qualifying on Saturday. The race starts on Sunday at 9pm AEST.