Leupen Exits Toyota Role With Immediate Effect

Toyota Gazoo Racing team director Rob Leupen has relinquished his role for the title-winning FIA World Endurance Championship outfit, it has been announced.

The Japanese manufacturer released a short statement on Wednesday on the eve of this weekend’s season-closing 8 Hours of Bahrain confirming Leupen’s departure, which it says was made by “mutual agreement”.

He will officially exit Toyota at the end of the year but his operational role within the team has been suspended with immediate effect.

The statement read: “Rob has made an immense contribution to TGR-E and Toyota in motorsport over almost three decades of service and the company places on record its sincere thanks, and wishes him success in the next phase of his life.”

Leupen has been a mainstay of the Cologne-based Toyota Gazoo Racing Europe operation for many years, having first joined the organization in 1995 and working his way up to the role of team director.

He has overseen multiple successes in the WEC and the 24 Hours of Le Mans, including five successive victories in the French endurance classic between 2018 and ’22.

No information was provided by Toyota in its statement about whether Leupen will be replaced in the role of team director.

Leupen becomes the second high-profile exit among Toyota’s senior management this year following the departure of long-time technical director Pascal Vasselon at the start of the year, with David Floury replacing him.

On-site leadership of the squad for this weekend’s Bahrain finale is provided by Toyota Gazoo Racing Europe vice-chairman Kazuki Nakajima.