Toyotas Hit With EoT Change for Le Mans

Photo: Toyota

Toyota Gazoo Racing has been hit with an Equivalence of Technology adjustment for Le Mans, outside of the car’s initially agreed upon performance configuration for the French endurance classic.

The pair of Toyota TS050 Hybrids have received a 10kg increase in minimum weight, bringing the cars up to 888 kg for next weekend’s test day.

The change comes despite an agreement between the Japanese manufacturer and the FIA following last year’s race that that saw performance concessions made post-Le Mans would not apply for the 2018-19 FIA World Endurance Championship season finale.

The Toyotas have run at 904 kg since the fourth round of the season at Fuji but were due to return to the minimum weight of 878 kg, per the agreement that also included the elimination of the car’s stint length advantage.

Toyota’s fuel capacity remains unchanged from last year’s race at Le Mans, however.

The max petrol per stint for LMP1 non-hybrids, along with refueling restrictor sizes, have not yet been determined, while the max petrol energy, which was “unlimited” for the privateers at the most recent WEC round at Spa, is listed as “0,0” on the provisional EoT table, which was released last week.

Normally aspirated-engined LMP1 cars, meanwhile, have been given a further weight break, both compared to Spa as well as last year’s configuration at Le Mans. 

The Gibson-powered entries from Rebellion Racing, DragonSpeed and ByKolles will be able to run at 816 kg, compared to the turbocharged SMP Racing BR Engineering BR1 AERs, which remain at 833 kg.

All LMP1 non-hybrids, however, have been given a slight increase in maximum petrol flow (108 to 115 kg/h) since last year’s race.

John Dagys

John Dagys is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Sportscar365. Dagys spent eight years as a motorsports correspondent for FOXSports.com and SPEED Channel and has contributed to numerous other motorsports publications worldwide. Contact John