Talented young trio try Toyota TS050 Hybrid in Bahrain
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| Nyck de Vries |
Three rising stars of motorsport joined TOYOTA GAZOO Racing for the official FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) rookie test, getting a taste of the double Le Mans-winning TS050 HYBRID on the Bahrain International Circuit.
The test session was a traditional finale to the WEC season, typically taking place the day after the final race of the season. However, with the new September-to-June WEC season format, the test takes place following the final event of the year and in the middle of the 2019-2020 season.
Following the team’s one-two victory in the 8 Hours of Bahrain, the fourth round of the 2019-2020 WEC season, on a hot and dry Saturday, conditions changed significantly for the test, with two heavy rain showers in the morning session making track conditions difficult.
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| Thomas Laurent |
TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Test and Reserve driver Thomas Laurent, who first drove a TS050 HYBRID at the previous rookie test in 2017, completed 34 laps. On Saturday, Thomas finished fifth in the LMP2 category, driving the #36 Signatech Alpine.
TOYOTA GAZOO Racing WEC Challenge driver Kenta Yamashita drove the TS050 HYBRID for the first time today as part of his development program. Following an eighth-place finish in the #33 High Class Racing car in LMP2 on Saturday, the 24-year-old Japanese driver completed a total of 44 laps.
Completing a trio of up-and-coming LMP2 competitors was Nyck de Vries, who was sixth in class in his #29 Racing Team Nederland car on Saturday. Like Kenta, Nyck warmed up for the test with a simulator session and seat fitting at the team’s Cologne base on Monday, preparing the 24-year-old Dutchman for 43 laps.
Regular race drivers Kamui Kobayashi and Brendon Hartley also returned to action today completing reference laps and gathering data.
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| Kenta Yamashita |
On the TS050 HYBRID’s final visit to the Bahrain International Circuit, in its last season of competition, the honor of recording the car’s last-ever timed lap of the track fell to Thomas, just before the checkered flag flew at 4pm local time.
TOYOTA GAZOO Racing and the WEC paddock takes a well-earned Christmas break, returning early in the new year to prepare the TS050 HYBRIDs for the fifth round of the 2019-2020 season, at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas, on 23 February.
Thomas Laurent: “It’s been a while since I drove the TS050 HYBRID so it felt nice to be working again with the team. I enjoyed it and felt really good out there. My first experience of the TS050 HYBRID was here in Bahrain two years ago; it was fun to be part of this test session again. We used one set of new tires then did some longer runs. The car felt really good and I had a positive impression; it went well."
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| Even some rain thrown in |
Kenta Yamashita: “I am very grateful for the opportunity to drive the TS050 HYBRID. There is a lot to do as a driver; you are making lots of changes to the settings, following the instruction of the engineers. I got used to it during the day and learned a lot. I enjoyed the chance to do some laps on new tires and I hope I get a chance to drive this car again in the future."
Nyck de Vries: “I really enjoyed the day; thanks to TOYOTA GAZOO Racing and the WEC for this opportunity. I was surprised by the grip of this car; the four-wheel drive and traction control were amazing. It’s a very neutral car to drive and I was adapting to the fuel cuts and the different boost strategies. It was a new experience for me and I really enjoyed it."