Toyota signs Alex Wurz, Nicolas Lapierre and Kazuki Nakajima for new LMP1 programme
Monday, November 7th 2011, 08:13 GMT
Toyota has announced Alex Wurz, Nicolas Lapierre and Kazuki Nakajima as the driver line-up for its World Endurance Championship programme with its new hybrid LMP1 car.
The new Toyota will contest selected WEC rounds, including the Le Mans 24 Hours, as the Japanese firm returns to top-line sportscar racing for the first time since its Le Mans bids of the late 1990s.
AUTOSPORT revealed yesterday that two-time Le Mans winner and ex-Formula 1 racer Wurz would move from Peugeot's LMP1 programme to lead the Toyota project.
"As soon as I heard about the possibility to join the team I was instantly excited and keen to be involved," said Wurz. "I love endurance racing and I have been a fan of Le Mans since my childhood so I have great memories of Toyotas competing there, particularly the GT-One which was a really sexy, cool-looking car.
"As an ambitious Le Mans racer, this heritage combined with the immense technical capabilities at TMG makes a very attractive combination."
Lapierre has established a sportscar career with ORECA - which will work with Toyota on the programme - in recent seasons, with the 27-year-old Frenchman part of the winning crew at this year's Sebring 12 Hours.
He said he was honoured to be chosen by Toyota and excited by its decision to run a hybrid.
"To be selected by a company like Toyota for such a new and interesting project is a proud moment for me," said Lapierre. "We are at the beginning of a big challenge and I am very excited.
"TMG has some very impressive capabilities and, together with the hybrid system, we have the potential to develop a really strong car. I am interested to experience the hybrid system for the first time; this adds a different aspect to our challenge and we have to consider some different strategic factors.
"It's great to be involved at the beginning with this technology and I hope it will give us a performance advantage."
The LMP1 deal marks a return to top-level international motorsport for former Williams F1 driver and long-time Toyota protege Nakajima, who returned to Japanese domestic racing this season after losing his grand prix seat at the end of 2009.
"To return to Le Mans, and to take part in this new championship, means a lot to Toyota so I am very honoured to be a part of it," said the 26-year-old Japanese.
"Le Mans will be a new experience for me but it is one I am very much looking forward to. The challenge of Le Mans is famous throughout motorsport so I can't wait to race there for the first time.
"Obviously it is a new experience but I am familiar with endurance racing thanks to my time in Japanese Super GT and this will help me to adjust."
The three drivers are already working in Toyota's simulator ahead of the new car's track debut early in 2012.
i have to admit, i totally forgot who Nakajima was and had to google him to remember
1
and on top of that, he must have lost so much of that deft touch that is required to drive an F1 car at the limit AND be especially good at it.
