TOYOTA GAZOO Racing accelerated its preparations for the centenary edition of the Le Mans 24 Hours with an intense official test day at the historic Circuit de la Sarthe in France.
The team will challenge for a sixth consecutive Le Mans win in front of an expected 300,000 crowd on 10-11 June when it faces a record 16-strong Hypercar field on the race’s 100th anniversary. However, a surprising late rule change means the GR010 HYBRID Hypercars must compete with 37kg of additional weight.
The World Champions made valuable progress to improve set-ups during Sunday’s two sessions, completing a total of 1,798km during the only test day of the year at the 13.626km track.
Mike Conway, Kamui Kobayashi and José María López, in the #7 GR010 HYBRID, recorded the third quickest lap time overall, 3mins 29.827secs. That was 0.323secs behind the pace-setting #51 Ferrari.
Last year’s winners Ryo Hirakawa and Brendon Hartley, sharing the #8 GR010 HYBRID with test and reserve driver Kazuki Nakajima, set the ninth fastest time of the day. Sébastien Buemi will join up with the team on Monday having missed the test due to other racing commitments.
“We’ve still got some work to do but luckily there are a few more days before the race starts,” commented Hartley. “It’s always nice to get back to Le Mans, particularly in this car which was really made for this track. Last year we had a great feeling with the car and we are trying to get that balance back.
“My laps went well; there’s never a dull moment here but it was just about building up to the race on Saturday. We are working very hard and we are up for the challenge.”
A new, modified livery on the GR010 HYBRIDs made its track debut today. Cherry blossom flowers and buds have been added to emphasise the team’s Japanese DNA and symbolise the advanced technology which continues to be nurtured at Le Mans as part of TOYOTA GAZOO Racing’s commitment to sustainability and making ever-better motorsports-bred cars.
The morning session began at 10am in warm, sunny conditions and both cars initially completed installation laps during the first 45 minutes. The opening hour saw Kazuki, a three-time Le Mans winner and 2018-19 World Champion, complete his first laps of the Circuit de la Sarthe since taking the chequered flag in second place to complete the 2021 race.
As the track, which partly consists of public roads, got cleaner, the team’s programme began in full. Both cars analysed different mechanical and aerodynamic configurations to kick off a process of set-up development which will continue throughout next week’s practice sessions.
One safety car period and a red flag, each lasting 25 minutes, interrupted the morning’s action which had been running smoothly for the team until the final moments. With Mike at the wheel, the #7 car made contact with the barriers at Tertre Rouge, sustaining damage to the front and rear.
Mike had earlier set the #7 car’s quickest time of the session, which was enough for fifth place, while Ryo clocked the best lap of the morning in the #8 to finish in eighth.
Thanks to efficient work from the mechanics, new front and rear bodywork was fitted to the #7 in time for José drive immediately at the start of the afternoon session, with no track time lost thanks to a strong team effort.
Further set-up comparisons, as well as analysis of the performance and durability of the different Michelin tyre compounds, continued through a three-hour session which was disrupted for half an hour due to a safety car around the midway point.
Kamui set the quickest lap from a GR010 HYBRID in the #7 on his way to third in the afternoon session. The best lap from the #8 was recorded by Brendon and earned ninth place.
After a productive test, the team has significant data to study in detail over the next two days before two practice sessions and qualifying on Wednesday. Set-up work will conclude with two further practice sessions on Thursday, either side of the grid-deciding Hyperpole contest. The 91st Le Mans 24 Hours begins on Saturday 10 June at 4pm CEST.
Le Mans 24 Hours Test Day – Morning Session
1st #50 Ferrari AF Corse (Fuoco/Molina/Nielsen) 3min 30.686secs 25 laps
2nd #94 Peugeot TotalEnergies (Duval/Menezes/Müller) +0.660secs 31 laps
3rd #38 Team JOTA (Da Costa/Stevens/Ye) +0.791secs 22 laps
4th #51 Ferrari AF Corse (Pier Guidi/Calado/Giovinazzi) +0.950secs 30 laps
5th #7 TOYOTA GAZOO Racing +1.170secs 29 laps
6th #3 Cadillac Racing (Bourdais/Van der Zander/Dixon) +1.387secs 20 laps
8th #8 TOYOTA GAZOO Racing +2.203secs 30 laps
Le Mans 24 Hours Test Day – Afternoon Session
1st #51 Ferrari AF Corse (Pier Guidi/Calado/Giovinazzi) 3min 29.504secs 34 laps
2nd #6 Porsche Penske (Estre/Lotterer/Vanthoor) +0.144secs 35 laps
3rd #7 TOYOTA GAZOO Racing +0.323secs 39 laps
4th #50 Ferrari AF Corse (Fuoco/Molina/Nielsen) +0.352secs 39 laps
5th #75 Porsche Penske (Nasr/Jaminet/Tandy/Campbell) +0.401secs 15 laps
6th #5 Porsche Penske (Cameron/Christensen/Makowiecki) +0.777secs 33 laps
9th #8 TOYOTA GAZOO Racing +1.505secs 34 laps
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