Photo: Toyota
After an intensive pre-season testing program, the new Toyota GR010 Hybrid is ready to begin its journey towards Le Mans. The GR010 is all set to debut on May 1st at the 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium.
World champions Mike Conway, Kamui Kobayashi and José María López will share the car with number 7, while last year's Le Mans winners Sébastien Buemi, Kazuki Nakajima and Brendon Hartley will be at the wheel of the number 8 hypercar.
Since its first spun its wheels in October 2020, the GR010 has completed thousands of miles of test runs on three circuits. The final preparation for Spa will be a two-day official prologue test that will take place between 26-27th April on the Belgian circuit.
This will be the first time when GR010 will have some real competition on the track. It’s a big opportunity for the drives to test the new vehicle against rival Ardennes Alpine LMP1.
The GR010 packs an AWD hybrid powertrain combined with a 3.5-litre V6 engine. At speeds over 120 kph (75 mph), it can run as a 4WD that delivers 670 hp with no restrictions on fuel usage, while the electric assistance unit delivers up to 268 hp. In contrast, the TS050 HYBRID weighed 162 kg (357 lbs) less and boasted 986 hp, although the fuel consumption per lap was restricted, which affected the maximum speed.
Apart from results on track, the whole team must adapt to new rules which limit the size of the circuit's operating crew to 43. This means reorganization for the mechanic and the engineering crews in order to maintain on-track support, and Spa will be the first time when the slimmed-down team will race in a competitive environment.
Toyota Gazoo Racing seems optimistic about the start of the season. At the 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps, the team has achieved a total of five wins since its debut in 2013. Despite the expected strong competition, they aim to keep their world titles and win the 24 hours of Le Mans for the fourth consecutive time.
Since its first spun its wheels in October 2020, the GR010 has completed thousands of miles of test runs on three circuits. The final preparation for Spa will be a two-day official prologue test that will take place between 26-27th April on the Belgian circuit.
This will be the first time when GR010 will have some real competition on the track. It’s a big opportunity for the drives to test the new vehicle against rival Ardennes Alpine LMP1.
The GR010 packs an AWD hybrid powertrain combined with a 3.5-litre V6 engine. At speeds over 120 kph (75 mph), it can run as a 4WD that delivers 670 hp with no restrictions on fuel usage, while the electric assistance unit delivers up to 268 hp. In contrast, the TS050 HYBRID weighed 162 kg (357 lbs) less and boasted 986 hp, although the fuel consumption per lap was restricted, which affected the maximum speed.
Apart from results on track, the whole team must adapt to new rules which limit the size of the circuit's operating crew to 43. This means reorganization for the mechanic and the engineering crews in order to maintain on-track support, and Spa will be the first time when the slimmed-down team will race in a competitive environment.
Toyota Gazoo Racing seems optimistic about the start of the season. At the 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps, the team has achieved a total of five wins since its debut in 2013. Despite the expected strong competition, they aim to keep their world titles and win the 24 hours of Le Mans for the fourth consecutive time.
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