The new Toyota GR010 Hybrid: Drivers’ feedback
Toyota Gazoo Racing has just revealed its brand-new GR010 Hybrid challenger for FIA WEC Season 9, but what did the drivers from the No. 7 and No. 8 cars have to say about it?
Below is some of the feedback on the new Hypercar.
Mike Conway: “It’s always cool to drive a race car for the first time and a nice challenge to get used to all the small differences. I have been surprised how good the car feels after just a few days testing; I already feel at home in it. It is a fantastic experience to be part of racing developments which will be translated into future road cars.”
Kamui Kobayashi: “I really like the concept of Hypercar and the GR010 Hybrid; it’s great to be part of a project to bring Le Mans performance into a road car. The objectives and the requirements don’t change. We are racing to win and as drivers we have to be fast and consistent, even more so considering the balance of performance; we cannot make mistakes.”
José María López: “I am sure the fans will be very impressed with the way these new Le Mans Hypercars sound and look; the lines are really cool and the V6 engine makes a fantastic sound. The drivers and engineers have had to adapt to the different characteristics, particularly the weight and the different way the hybrid is deployed. The GR010 Hybrid has the same spirit as the TS050 HYBRID but you can feel it is developed to different regulations.”
Sébastien Buemi: “Actually, I was not expecting to be as fun to drive as it is; I thought it would feel like a GT car. But we learned a lot during our LMP1 era and we used that knowledge to improve the new car, so it feels like a prototype and I really enjoy driving such a fast car… It was great to succeed in LMP1 but now we want to do the same in the Le Mans Hypercar era.”
Kazuki Nakajima: “It is really exciting to be part of this new WEC generation, which is quite different to what we had before in terms of the technology and the approach to racing. As a driver it is a special experience to race a new car for the first time and to experience the different sensations behind the wheel. The car looks great and it will be spectacular to watch when it is racing flat-out.”
Brendon Hartley: “Fans are going to be pleasantly surprised with the GR010 Hybrid; it looks like a mix of an LMP1 and a road car. Endurance racing has always been a proving ground for new technology and now it is even more road car relevant; the GR010 Hybrid previews a car which the end user will experience on the road. It’s great to drive too, particularly with the hybrid four-wheel-drive which is a nice sensation from a driver’s perspective. The big difference is the extra weight and a bit less horsepower and downforce, but it’s still just as much fun to drive as the TS050 Hybrid.”
Read the full story about Toyota’s reveal of its new GR010 Hybrid HERE.
