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Toyota’s WEC future to be decided in October
Toyota Motorsport GmbH technical director Pascal Vasselon says Toyota expects to make a decision on whether continue in the LMP1 division of the FIA World Endurance Championship in October.
Gary Watkins
Edited: Sep 2, 2017, 6:47 AM
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Vasselon said that it was still too early to comment on plans for the future in the wake of Porsche's announcement of its withdrawal from P1 at the end of this year.
"We need further information and then we will make a decision – and that will not be before October," he said. "We need to understand where the the calendar is going, if new competitors are coming and what is happening with the regulations.”
Vasselon explained that a commitment to the WEC next year would be made in the context of continuing into the next LMP1 rules cycle, which is due to begin in 2020.
Expected changes will include zero-emissions running and plug-in hybrid technology, and Vasselon stated that it is important that the WEC does not "empty the technological tank".
"If we stay it will be in the perspective of 2020 and welcoming competition later," he said, adding that Toyota would "absorb" any information about the future announced during this weekend's Mexico City WEC round.
Toyota has a commitment to 2018 WEC, but Vasselon admitted in July, as rumours of Porsche's departure intensified, that this had been made on the understanding that it would have factory opposition and would need to be reviewed.
It has been linked to a partial WEC program around Le Mans, most likely incorporating the Spa and Fuji rounds.
Vasselon stressed that work on the 2018 version of the TS050 Hybrid was continuing. He admitted, however, it was unlikely that Toyota would field three cars at the double-points Le Mans 24 Hours round of the WEC.
"I don't consider that to be an option at the moment," he stated.
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