Nicolas Lapierre and Yuji Kunimoto with Toyota at Spa and Le Mans

Last week, we told you in issue 2106 of AUTOhebdo the return of Nicolas lapierre within the stable Toyota, after being dismissed by the Japanese during the 2014 season. Information confirmed this Tuesday morning by the Japanese team.

Nicolas Lapierre, winner of the 24 Hours of Le Mans and winner in LM P2 last year in WEC with Signatech Alpine, will return to the LM P1 category for two races, at Spa and in Sarthe in the third Toyota alongside Stéphane Sarrazin and the Japanese Yuji Kunimoto, ultimately preferred to Ryo Hirakawa.

Lapierre will compete in the rest of the World Championship eventsEndurance with Signatech Alpine, being replaced for the Belgian event and the Le Mans double clock tour by Romain Dumas.

“It’s great to be back with Toyota and I would like to thank the team for this opportunity, comments Lapierre. I'm really looking forward to racing in LM P1 again because the cars have evolved a lot since the 040 TS2014.

The Spa race will arrive very quickly, so I am fully focused on preparing for the new season. I got on the podium before at Le Mans with Toyota so my goal is clearly to do it again this year. »

For Yuji Kunimoto, a Super GT regular and reigning Super Formula champion, the move to LM P1 builds on his recent good performances in the Japanese series. “It really is a dream for me, underlines the Nippon. I never imagined I would one day be able to drive for a team like Toyota at Le Mans so I am determined to make the most of this opportunity.

I enjoyed my first tests with the TS050 Hybrid, which is truly impressive. LM P1 and endurance racing in Europe are new to me and I am working hard to learn as much as I can from the team. I am sure that I will learn a lot from Stéphane and Nicolas, who are very experienced and fast. »

Toyota will enter two LM P1s per year in WEC with the crews Mike conway, Kamui Kobayashi et Jose Maria Lopez on No. 7. Sébastien Buemi, Anthony Davidson and Kazuki Nakajima will share No. 8. Toyota will be taking part in the Prologue this weekend in Monza, Italy.