Toyota Motorsport GmbH, better known around the racing circuits as the Gazoo, is optimistic about its chances for a win on home soil as the team readies for the 6 Hours of Fuji on October 16th. Toyota's 1,000 horsepower hybrid racing system is developed and built just a few kilometres from the track at the Higashi-Fuji Technical Centre. The TS050 Toyota hybrid racecar has been impressive all season posting podium finishes in several rounds of the 2016 FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC). The team's most recent success came with a third overall recorded at the 6 Hours of Circuit of the Americas in Austin, TX.
Check out the video below to see this new breed of racing machine in action for yourself.
The four-wheel drive hybrid racing machine produces massive amounts of energy that converts into killer speeds down the long straightaways common to endurance racing. The team had experienced the thrill of victory and agony of defeat earlier this year at the 24-Hour event on the famed pavement at LeMans, France. One of the team cars seemingly had the race won when that Toyota TS050 suffered a sudden loss of power on the penultimate lap. The second team car, which had led much of the way before suffering its own late race problems, managed a second place overall for Toyota's fifth runnerup finish at the 24-Hours of LeMans.
"I am particularly proud of the job done by everyone in the team," said Toshio Sato, Gazoo Team President. "Our quick pit stops and effective strategy helped to achieve a strong result. This has been a good step towards our home race at Fuji Speedway, where we want to give our Japanese fans and colleagues a result to enjoy."
The drivers who have been lucky enough to get behind the wheel of the Toyota hybrid have said it feels completely different and elevates every aspect of the racing experience to a whole new level. A win at the team's home track in Japan would seal the deal on a very roller coaster season.
