Photo : - Toyota Motorsport GmbH

The eagerly awaited new Toyota hybrid LM P1 will test on the Paul Ricard circuit on 24, 25, 26 and 27 January 2012. It will be private testing, however, the car will be officially presented to the press at this time.

It's almost a tradition at Toyota to have the track debut of a new programme at Paul Ricard. Because after the GT-One in 1998 and the TF 101 in 2001, the new LM P1 hybrid will make its official debut on the High Tech Test Track (HTTT).

From January 24 to 27, TMG (Toyota Motorsport GmbH) will begin the implementation phase of the prototype on a circuit familiar to the Cologne based organization - they have large premises during the F1 year. The sporting offshoot of the Japanese manufacturer in Europe has also has a pied-à-terre at Le Castellet as partners Oreca have been installed there since 1987.

Barring 'leaks' or 'surprises', there is only a month to wait before discovering the shape of the new rival of Audi and Peugeot in the WEC ... a month that will seem a long one for Nicolas Lapierre, Alexander Wurz and Kazuki Nakajima, the first three drivers.

Julien Hergault

Photo : AUTODROMO DI MONZA, GP D’ITALIE DE F1, 13 SEPTEMBRE 2009. According to Pascal Vasselon (interview), LM P1 will carry "New concepts through experience in F1."