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Le Mans / ALMS
DAGYS: The ACO’s Saving Grace
Toyota's last-minute commitment to the WEC has saved the championship from facing likely disaster...
Toyota has made the last-minute decision to enter the FIA World Endurance Championship. Two Toyota TS030 Hybrids will compete at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. (Photo: Toyota Racing)
The past month has undoubtedly been a roller-coaster in the Le Mans world. The dawn of the New Year promised new beginnings, with the launch of the FIA World Endurance Championship and what was shaping up to be a continuation of the iconic Audi vs. Peugeot battles season in years past, with Toyota thrown into the mix for select rounds of the new global series as a non-championship entrant.
Things turned upside down in a hurry, as the French manufacturer pulled the plug on its ultra-successful sports car program. It just so happened the earth-shattering news came on Jan. 18, the same day entry requests were due for the 24 Hours of Le Mans and WEC.
All of a sudden, the FIA and ACO’s new creation, which hinged on significant manufacturer support, particularly in the premier prototype ranks, wasn’t looking so rosy.
The unexpected bombshell from Peugeot set off a chain of events in offices at Circuit de la Sarthe, as the ACO worked to ensure a respectable grid for the all-crucial first year of the World Championship. Entry deadlines were extended and talks continued, all the while naysayers looked to the WEC as becoming the next still-born championship or “one and done” without the support of a second-full season LMP1 manufacturer.
But through the fires rose a rather unexpected sight, as a last-minute deal was inked with Toyota to enter the WEC as a manufacturer, instead of just an occasional participant as initially planned.
The single-car Toyota TS030 Hybrid entry not only gives a considerable boost to the LMP1 field, but is more importantly the saving grace the ACO and FIA needed in order to award the Manufacturers' World Championship, the blue-ribboned prize in the eight-round WEC. Regulations stipulate that at least two manufacturers must be entered in order for the title to be given.
While the much-hyped factory effort will not debut until the second round at Spa-Francorchamps in May, and details of its program beyond Le Mans has not yet been announced, Toyota’s willingness to enter the WEC now, in a dire time of need, perhaps shows its commitment for the future.
As Toyota Racing team president Yoshiaki Kinoshita said in a statement issued today, “[We] consider it important to work together with the FIA and ACO to establish a successful future for endurance racing. We have done everything we can to show our support...”
With only one entry that is to miss at least one race, stacked up against two and sometimes three Audi R18s that will contest the entire eight-round championship, it’s clear Toyota won’t have any realistic chance of the WEC title. And while they’ve been extremely vague about future plans, specifically 2013 and beyond, today’s commitment could be a sign that Toyota is in it for the long haul.
Despite the all-new regulations for 2014, where both Audi and Porsche are expected to compete, the next two years are still very crucial times for the ACO and FIA in the birth of their new championship. A runaway winner, or lack of competition in the top prototype category could spell disaster for the long-term.
That’s why the inaugural season will be so crucial. And with a half-dozen strong gasoline-powered privateers, LMP1 doesn’t look as bad as many would have initially predicted in the post-Peugeot world.
Along with a stellar LMP2 field and manufacturer interest from Porsche, Ferrari and Chevrolet, the WEC looks set for quite an optimistic-looking inaugural season, the first of what could be many to come in the new arena for international endurance racing.
John Dagys is SPEED.com’s Sportscar Racing Reporter, focusing on all major domestic and international championships. You can follow him on Twitter @johndagys or email him at
The opinions reflected herein are solely those of the above commentator and are not necessarily those of SPEED.com, FOX, NewsCorp, or SPEED
Things turned upside down in a hurry, as the French manufacturer pulled the plug on its ultra-successful sports car program. It just so happened the earth-shattering news came on Jan. 18, the same day entry requests were due for the 24 Hours of Le Mans and WEC.
All of a sudden, the FIA and ACO’s new creation, which hinged on significant manufacturer support, particularly in the premier prototype ranks, wasn’t looking so rosy.
The unexpected bombshell from Peugeot set off a chain of events in offices at Circuit de la Sarthe, as the ACO worked to ensure a respectable grid for the all-crucial first year of the World Championship. Entry deadlines were extended and talks continued, all the while naysayers looked to the WEC as becoming the next still-born championship or “one and done” without the support of a second-full season LMP1 manufacturer.
But through the fires rose a rather unexpected sight, as a last-minute deal was inked with Toyota to enter the WEC as a manufacturer, instead of just an occasional participant as initially planned.
The single-car Toyota TS030 Hybrid entry not only gives a considerable boost to the LMP1 field, but is more importantly the saving grace the ACO and FIA needed in order to award the Manufacturers' World Championship, the blue-ribboned prize in the eight-round WEC. Regulations stipulate that at least two manufacturers must be entered in order for the title to be given.
While the much-hyped factory effort will not debut until the second round at Spa-Francorchamps in May, and details of its program beyond Le Mans has not yet been announced, Toyota’s willingness to enter the WEC now, in a dire time of need, perhaps shows its commitment for the future.
As Toyota Racing team president Yoshiaki Kinoshita said in a statement issued today, “[We] consider it important to work together with the FIA and ACO to establish a successful future for endurance racing. We have done everything we can to show our support...”
With only one entry that is to miss at least one race, stacked up against two and sometimes three Audi R18s that will contest the entire eight-round championship, it’s clear Toyota won’t have any realistic chance of the WEC title. And while they’ve been extremely vague about future plans, specifically 2013 and beyond, today’s commitment could be a sign that Toyota is in it for the long haul.
Despite the all-new regulations for 2014, where both Audi and Porsche are expected to compete, the next two years are still very crucial times for the ACO and FIA in the birth of their new championship. A runaway winner, or lack of competition in the top prototype category could spell disaster for the long-term.
That’s why the inaugural season will be so crucial. And with a half-dozen strong gasoline-powered privateers, LMP1 doesn’t look as bad as many would have initially predicted in the post-Peugeot world.
Along with a stellar LMP2 field and manufacturer interest from Porsche, Ferrari and Chevrolet, the WEC looks set for quite an optimistic-looking inaugural season, the first of what could be many to come in the new arena for international endurance racing.
John Dagys is SPEED.com’s Sportscar Racing Reporter, focusing on all major domestic and international championships. You can follow him on Twitter @johndagys or email him at
The opinions reflected herein are solely those of the above commentator and are not necessarily those of SPEED.com, FOX, NewsCorp, or SPEED
Monterey
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