Toyota TS030 Hybrid
The Toyota TS030 Hybrid is a sports car prototype, which was designed and built by Toyota after LMP1 regulations. The eponymous hybrid drive consists of a V8 gasoline engine and an electric motor.
With the TS030 Hybrid Toyota took part in the 24 - hour race at Le Mans in 2012. It was the first address at the Sarthe since the last use of the GT -One in 1999 and the subsequent alignment of the motor sport program to the formula 1, took in the Toyota Racing from 2002 to 2009.
- 2.1 2012 2.1.1 Le Mans
- 2.1.2 Silverstone
- 2.1.3 São Paulo
- 2.1.4 Bahrain
- 2.1.5 Fuji
- 2.1.6 Shanghai
- 2.1.7 results 2.1.7.1 LMP1 manufacturers standings
- 2.2.1 Silverstone
- 2.2.2 Spa -Francorchamps
- 2.2.3 results 2.2.3.1 LMP1 manufacturers standings
Development
End of 2011, Toyota announced to want to compete in long-distance motor sports again and for building a prototype by LMP1 regulations. While the chassis of TS030 hybrid was designed and manufactured at the Cologne-based Toyota Motorsport GmbH, which was responsible even for the Formula 1 racing car from Toyota, the complete drive train in the Japanese Toyota Development Center Higashi -Fuji arose.
Body and chassis
As a body for the TS030 Hybrid a monocoque made of carbon fiber composite material that has been provided with an aerodynamically efficient closed structure in coupe form was created. The chassis has at the front and rear independent suspension with double wishbones. The suspension is realized with torsion bar springs and as the shock absorbers controlled by push rods. To ensure a good delay, internally ventilated carbon ceramic disc brakes are mounted.
Drive
When choosing the internal combustion engine concept was decided to use a non-turbocharged gasoline engine. Although an engine already existed, which was already used by the private team Rebellion Racing at Le Mans, it was decided a completely new development at Toyota. Although a constructed for the TS030 Hybrid 3.4-liter V8 engine of the same displacement as the built also as a V8 engine to customers, but has no other relationship on this and weight by 20 kg.
The drive in TS030 Hybrid was the name TOYOTA HYBRID System - baptized Racing ( THS- R). In contrast to conventional systems, the hybrid electrical energy recovered during braking will not be stored in the THS -R in accumulators, but in high-performance capacitors. The advantage is that capacitors are lighter than batteries, allowing a higher charge and discharge rate and able to withstand many charge cycles without a significant energy loss. For reasons of weight distribution of the capacitors are located near the vehicle center of gravity in the internal space on the right side is mounted near the driver's seat.
The motors are mounted in mid-engine layout and combined with a transverse-mounted, six-speed sequential gearbox. During the development phase, the engineers subjected to two different versions of the hybrid system into consideration. A variant of a mounted in the front electric motor which drives the front wheels, while the gasoline engine acts on the rear axle, and a concept, in which the internal combustion engine and the electric motor are installed in a unit and only the rear wheels are driven. A late adaptation of the regulations limited the use of the additional front wheel drive to speeds higher than 120 km / h, whereas the addition of the electric motor for pure rear wheel drive could still be used without restriction. From the perspective of Toyota so that accounted for the benefits of all-wheel drive and so finally the variant with rear-wheel drive for the TS030 Hybrid was implemented.
In February 2013 published performance data for the Toyota TS030 Hybrid. Thus making the spark-ignition engine 395 kW ( 537 hp), while the hybrid system can provide automatically controlled (305 HP) in addition 224 kW.
Racing applications - Factory
2012
After Toyota originally wanted to attend only a few selected races in 2012, the company reported a participation in the 2012 season of the World Endurance Championship (WEC ) from the second run, the 6- hour race at Spa -Francorchamps in May. An accident during tests in early April at the Circuit Paul Ricard thwarted this plan, however. The monocoque chassis of the car was damaged beyond repair, so that a new had to be made , but this was not feasible in the short time.
For the late race debut at Le Mans finally stood two TS030 hybrid ready in their original classic Toyota colors, this red and white color scheme has been changed to blue and white. The Toyota with the number 7 was piloted by drivers Nicolas Lapierre, Kazuki Nakajima and Alexander Wurz, while the sister car with the number 8 and the pilot Sébastien Buemi, Anthony Davidson and Stéphane Sarrazin went to the start. The rest of the WEC 2012 season but played only the TS030 Hybrid with the number 7
Le Mans
After a convincing qualifying the two Toyotas were the places 3 and 5 secure on the grid, whereas the biggest competitor Audi took from places 1, 2, 4 and 6 from. The race went well for Toyota, until the events came about five hours after the start of the race. While Lapierre after a catch-up with its TS030 hybrid at the top of a duel for the lead with the Audi R18 e -tron quattro # 1 delivered by Benoît Treluyer and after several lead changes in quick succession was finally able to win the first place, crashed hard, the sister car. When entering the Mulsanne corner at the end of the Mulsanne straight of the Ferrari driver Pierguiseppe Perazzini of the racing team AF Corse indebted collision with the TS030 Hybrid Davidson when he tried to overtake the slower Ferrari straight. Then lifted from the Toyota, overturned and slammed at high speed into the barriers a. Right next to it also crashed the Ferrari into the barriers. While Perazzini was uninjured, Davidson complained about back pain after the accident, which turned out to be a fracture of two vertebrae. Because of the necessary repair and salvage work was a long Safetycarphase, during which the remaining Toyota and Audi R18 # 1 at the same time a pit stop with a driver change completed, leading to a renewed change in leadership due to the faster stops the Audi team after himself. About one hour and 15 minutes after the incident, the track was released for the race. After Safetycarphase the traffic jammed on and when trying the moving directly in front of him Marcel Fässler Audi to follow # 1, overlooked the TS030 - pilot Nakajima Nissan DeltaWing in the Porsche Curves. Both vehicles collided, whereupon the DeltaWing struck hard into the barriers and the Toyota with a puncture and damaged the rear, the box had to go. This accident resulted in a number of problems and repairs in the long box by itself, thereby massively time was lost. Finally, an engine failure ended after about ten and a half hours, the efforts of the Toyota team at Le Mans.
Silverstone
As planned, Toyota Racing joined with only one vehicle at Silverstone. The TS030 Hybrid is equipped for this race with a customized aerodynamics package for additional contact pressure at which the rear wing has been widened by end plates 20 cm. Thus, the tail now measures 200 cm instead of the maximum allowed by the regulations leaf width of 180 cm, but include the additional aerodynamic elements between the wing and endplate by their attachment to the side boxes to the body and are therefore in compliance.
In qualifying third on the grid was achieved after two Audi R18. In the race, Toyota was able to make a place and eventually take the lead in the eleventh round right after the start. Due to the higher consumption of TS030 hybrid had this earlier than the two R18 to the box, whereby the guide during the race - due to the pit stops staggered times - constantly alternated between Audi and Toyota. In addition, for the Toyota a fuel stop more was needed than for the two Audi. After a race without any incidents of TS030 hybrid went on the second place finish.
São Paulo
Having good times have already been achieved by the Toyota team in training, this trend continued in qualifying. With the fastest lap to Wurz claimed pole position for the TS030 for the first time. During the race, Toyota Racing claimed the lead and set the pace before. By improving the fuel efficiency of TS030 hybrid of the range difference to Audi between fuel stops was not as blatant as yet at Silverstone. Finally, the Toyota pilots could enter to win by over a minute ahead of the runner-up, which is the first ever victory for Toyota in the WEC at the same time.
Bahrain
Already in training, the two Audi R18 e -tron quattro were faster than the TS030, which did not change in qualifying and the Toyota therefore went to the race from third on the grid from. In the race, the performance of the Toyota but significantly improved. Directly after the start Wurz secured the second place, after seven laps, he won the lead and was able to continue to expand the lead. After about two hours of racing the TS030 was sovereign to square one, failure of the # lighting led but to the fact that the stewards ordered a repair. This lasted seven minutes threw the Toyota back in sixth place and destroyed all chances to win. Lapierre was able to fight back again to third place in the further course of the race, but fell about an hour before race end with a broken suspension after a collision with a vehicle to broadcast from.
Fuji
In qualifying, Nakajima won out over the competing Audi and so enter the second pole position for Toyota in the WEC. In the race, the Toyota team initially defended the lead and lost it only temporarily to Audi. About 20 minutes before the end of the race, an additional refueling stop for the TS030 was due, whereby the distance to the tracker again shrank sharply. Finally, Toyota Racing secured the win in Fuji with approximately eleven seconds ahead of the runner-up.
Shanghai
In the season finale, the Toyota team already achieved in the trainings good lap times, which was also reflected in qualifying with the pole position. In the race itself was of the Audi drive out quickly in terms of speed R18 superior TS030 a big lead that was needed as in the previous race, to compensate for the reduced efficiency of the Toyota petrol engine by a fuel stop. The race was stopped by Toyota with the third victory of the season with just over a minute ahead of the nearest rival.
Results
LMP1 manufacturers standings
2013
Toyota Racing participates in the full WEC season in 2013 and the 24 - hour race at Le Mans in 2013 with two vehicles in part, which are piloted by the same drivers as in the previous year. The TS030 has been further developed for the 2013 season to eliminate the weaknesses of the previous model. The powertrain underwent changes in performance, efficiency and reliability. Since the model of the 2012 season was actually a test-bed space for the hybrid system was there at the front axle also provided, since the decision to conduct additional power to the rear wheels, was taken relatively late. This allowed the 2013er TS030 improve the aerodynamics at the front by the engineers pulled down his nose deeper and become redundant air intakes away.
Silverstone
In the first race of the season the car even came with previous specification used. In qualifying in changeable weather conditions, the two Toyotas secured the pole position and second place on the grid. In the race, the TS030, however, were already displaced a few minutes after the start of the two Audi R18 e -tron quattro on the third and fourth, on which ultimately the goal was achieved.
Spa -Francorchamps
In Belgium, the first time was the model 2013 of the TS030 with the number 7 is used, whereas the number 8 was a previous model year. In qualifying, the Toyota could not keep up with the three Audis, why was launched by the courts 4 and 5 of the race. The performance in the race, however, was much better, so the 2013er TS030 ride to victory and at times, could take the lead. After about four hours occurred at # 7 on a defect in the hybrid system, whereby no more energy was stored. As a result, due to lack of braking effect overheated the rear brakes, which compelled the Toyota team to take the new TS030 out of the race. The previous model was able to drive to finish the race, but was, as in Silverstone unable to keep up with the newer Audis and finally drove to 4th place finish.