Silverstone beckons for TOYOTA Racing

TS030 HYBRID launch earlier this year

The 2013 FIA World Endurance Championship is just around the corner and TOYOTA Racing is ready to electrify Silverstone. Last year, after the team’s bitter-sweet return to Le Mans, TOYOTA Racing’s #7 TS030 HYBRID returned to the track at Silverstone for its first six-hour race, setting the LMP1 lap record and secured the team’s first podium in second place. Race preview and exclusive 2013 season preview video after the break.

Regular readers and followers of TOYOTA Racing will know our team only competed in six of the eight FIA WEC rounds last season as the team’s “learning” season. Against all odds, TOYOTA Racing came through to win three races, including the final two of the season, our home race at Fuji Speedway and the season finale in China.

Drivers for #7 and #8 TS030 HYBRID

This year, we’re starting the season from the opener, with two cars and ready to take on the challenge of Silverstone, confident from our performance last year.

As with last year, Alex Wurz, Nicolas Lapierre and Kazuki Nakajima will share our #7 TS030 HYBRID.

Kazuki won’t be joining us in Silverstone this weekend as he’ll be defending his Super Formula (previously Formula Nippon) title at Suzuka.

“It’s great to get back to racing after some positive tests over the winter. Testing is okay for a driver but nothing compares to the thrill of racing so I’m impatient to get started.”
– Alex

“Last season it was really special to stand on the top step of the podium three times but I’m hungry for more. We can expect some strong competition from our colleagues in the #8 car and the two Audis so it should be a very exciting race weekend.”
– Nicolas

Stéhane, Anthony and Sébastien

Our second entry, the #8 TS030 HYBRID, will have Anthony Davidson, Stéphane Sarrazin and Sébastien Buemi at the helm.

Our #8 drivers will be reunited for the first time since Le Mans last June.

For Anthony, it will be his first race behind the wheel of the TS030 HYBRID since his spectacular accident at Le Mans last year. Test has proved he is not only back to full fitness – he’s still on full throttle too!

Relive TOYOTA Racing’s return to Le Mans in 2012:

“I can’t wait to be racing again for TOYOTA Racing; it has been far too long! It’s going to be special to race in front of my home fans for the first time since 2010. We have a strong car and we are really fired up for the season.”
– Anthony

“It’s great to be back alongside Anthony and Sébastien. We had a good testing programme during the winter and I feel ready for this first race of the season.”
– Stéphane

“It has been good to get back into the groove during winter testing and I am absolutely ready for this weekend’s race. I’ve also seen good progress from the team; they have improved in several areas and look really strong for the upcoming season.”
– Sébastien

Team garage at Paul Ricard Test

Between Le Mans and Silverstone last year, our team based at Toyota Motorsport GmbH in Cologne, Germany worked hard to deliver a new high-downforce aero update for the Northampton circuit. We will use the same specification for both our cars this weekend.

The 2013 evolution of our TS030 HYBRID will make its debut at Spa-Francorchamps next month.

“2013 will be a real test for us as we challenge for the World Championship against a great competitor like Audi. Our 2012-specification car proved its strength last year so we are confident we can fight at the front again this weekend.”
Yoshiaki Kinoshita, Team President

Video exclusive: TOYOTA Racing 2013 Season Preview:

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