Rob Leupen (Toyota): “If they do GTE Plus, it will be without us”

Does the lack of announcements from potential rivals worry you?

In the past we fought with Audi and Porsche and that's what we're looking for. We want to compete against brands like McLaren, Ferrari ou Aston Martin. We talk about Glickenhaus, ByKolles, but with all the respect I have for them, it is not them that we want to fight against.

Audi and Porsche have left the ship, but we have confirmed our commitments because we believe in this championship. And if we continue, it must be with the regulations that we expected and which were ratified in December. The desire to continue is there, but on condition of not being the only manufacturer. That wouldn't make sense. I'm not talking about the next season but the next one.

The legislator would wait for answers from Aston Martin and McLaren to finalize everything…

Maybe, but what do we do if they say no?

However, they have what they want since they can race with a road Hypercar from now on…

It's not up to us to judge. If Aston Martin believes it can come with a Hypercar and be on par with a BoP, they are free to do so. But we want a category at the top, if they do GTE Plus, it will be without us. Just as if they opted for a DPi without hybridization.

Would a more DPi-focused philosophy interest you?

We were flexible during the discussions and agreed to the establishment of a BoP because we want to have competition. We have, moreover, already anticipated the work on the regulations unveiled in December. If there is a series of this level, with times barely above 3'20 at Le Mans, and it is believed to promote hybrids, then I do not want to exclude it.

What does the “GTE Plus” inspire you?

We don't even discuss it, so we haven't even thought about it. But I've heard rumors about it, yes.

Is Japan getting impatient?

We had discussed the new rules and received approval from TMC (Toyota Motor Corporation. Editor’s note). They have their ideas and we must follow them. We need to go back to Japan and explain what the situation is, because in the end, it is not us (TMG. Editor's note) who decide but the parent company. Today, there would be various options, you have to put them on the table, make a decision and stick to it.