P1racenews AI automatic summary:
How Toyota has helped its LMGT3 partner team in WEC transition from Mercedes
The French outfit ASP Racing Team, who won the last two GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup titles with Mercedes, as well as the 2022 Spa 24 Hours, has now switched to the Toyota-owned Lexus brand for the 2024 season due to the WEC’s move to adopt GT3 cars. The switch was prompted by the new LMGT3 class’s focus on manufacturers with a presence in the Hypercar class, making a Mercedes entry unlikely. ASP’s switch to Lexus was a logical move, as they already had a Toyota affiliation through a previous GT4 programme with the GR Supra. Time constraints between the end of the GTWCE Sprint Cup season and the start of the 2024 WEC season in Qatar necessitated support from Toyota’s TGR and TRD US operations to prepare the Lexus RC F GT3 for competition. TGR’s assistance included homologating the Lexus for competition and sharing knowledge on torque sensors for energy consumption calculations, a new aspect for ASP. Additionally, TRD provided support with eight staff for the opening races and reigning IMSA champion Jack Hawksworth shared expertise during testing, emphasizing the collaborative effort between ASP and Toyota for a successful transition to the new racing platform.
