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Le Mans / ALMS
LE MANS: Q&A With Toyota’s Pascal Vasselon
Toyota Racing technical director discusses TS030 Hybrid's progress and future plans in SPEED.com exclusive interview...
TMG's Pascal Vasselon serves as technical director for the Toyota TS030 Hybrid program. (Photo: LAT)
While the newest factory squad to join the FIA World Endurance Championship, Toyota has no doubt been on an uphill battle in the roll-out of its new TS030 Hybrid LMP1 car.
A testing accident in April forced the Japanese manufacturer to withdraw from last month's Six Hours of Spa, resulting an ambitious debut in the world's most prestigious endurance race, the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Despite having shown impressive pace in last weekend's Le Mans Test Day, Toyota appears to be taking a humble approach to its return to La Sarthe, setting realistic goals for its two-car attack next weekend.
SPEED.com caught up with Toyota Racing technical director Pascal Vasselon to get his thoughts on the progress made thus far and what could be in the pipeline for 2013 and beyond.
DAGYS: Aside from last month’s setback, how has the Toyota TS030 Hybrid’s development program gone thus far?
VASSELON: There have been many unexpected things, but that's OK. We're not here to complain. We've completed three endurance tests and we have done quite a bit of mileage but not in one go. We have never done 24 hours in a row.
DAGYS: Has the team’s goals been revised given the delayed start to the program?
VASSELON: At the beginning of the season, our target was to be the first hybrid car on the podium. But of course we missed Spa [and Audi's hybrid was on podium], so we missed that target. This is gone.
In terms of the championship, as long as things are mathematically possible, we will go for the championship. Of course we are not in an ideal situation.
Le Mans will be tough for us, but the six-hour races will maybe be better suited to where we are at the moment in terms of reliability. I think we will see a consistent improvement in our performance through the WEC championship.
DAGYS: Is there a chance of seeing a second car in the WEC post-Le Mans?
VASSELON: There's a remote possibility for two cars. It's a maybe but it depends on the budget. At the moment, it's unlikely. I think if we were to have two cars in WEC, it would be at Fuji.
DAGYS: When do you expect to confirm a 2013 program?
VASSELON: There are interesting negotiations. I think it would be sometime after Le Mans [until confirmation is made]. It would be logical to continue. We are also looking at 2014 . We've been a member of this group discussing the regulations, so we are interested. We are very pleased by the direction the rules are taking, by going with more efficiency.
DAGYS: Is there any interest to bring the TS030 Hybrid to America to race?
VASSELON: At the moment, we cannot define what our program would be for next year, but for sure, we are interested to race in the U.S. It's of course a very important market for Toyota and Toyota North America is very, very interested in hybrid racing. It's too early to tell, but for sure the interest is there for 2013.
PHOTOS: Toyota At Le Mans
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
A testing accident in April forced the Japanese manufacturer to withdraw from last month's Six Hours of Spa, resulting an ambitious debut in the world's most prestigious endurance race, the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Despite having shown impressive pace in last weekend's Le Mans Test Day, Toyota appears to be taking a humble approach to its return to La Sarthe, setting realistic goals for its two-car attack next weekend.
SPEED.com caught up with Toyota Racing technical director Pascal Vasselon to get his thoughts on the progress made thus far and what could be in the pipeline for 2013 and beyond.
DAGYS: Aside from last month’s setback, how has the Toyota TS030 Hybrid’s development program gone thus far?
VASSELON: There have been many unexpected things, but that's OK. We're not here to complain. We've completed three endurance tests and we have done quite a bit of mileage but not in one go. We have never done 24 hours in a row.
DAGYS: Has the team’s goals been revised given the delayed start to the program?
VASSELON: At the beginning of the season, our target was to be the first hybrid car on the podium. But of course we missed Spa [and Audi's hybrid was on podium], so we missed that target. This is gone.
In terms of the championship, as long as things are mathematically possible, we will go for the championship. Of course we are not in an ideal situation.
Le Mans will be tough for us, but the six-hour races will maybe be better suited to where we are at the moment in terms of reliability. I think we will see a consistent improvement in our performance through the WEC championship.
DAGYS: Is there a chance of seeing a second car in the WEC post-Le Mans?
VASSELON: There's a remote possibility for two cars. It's a maybe but it depends on the budget. At the moment, it's unlikely. I think if we were to have two cars in WEC, it would be at Fuji.
DAGYS: When do you expect to confirm a 2013 program?
VASSELON: There are interesting negotiations. I think it would be sometime after Le Mans [until confirmation is made]. It would be logical to continue. We are also looking at 2014 . We've been a member of this group discussing the regulations, so we are interested. We are very pleased by the direction the rules are taking, by going with more efficiency.
DAGYS: Is there any interest to bring the TS030 Hybrid to America to race?
VASSELON: At the moment, we cannot define what our program would be for next year, but for sure, we are interested to race in the U.S. It's of course a very important market for Toyota and Toyota North America is very, very interested in hybrid racing. It's too early to tell, but for sure the interest is there for 2013.
PHOTOS: Toyota At Le Mans
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
FIA WEC Six Hours of Spa
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