For over thirty minutes, TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Europe technical director Pascal Vasselon answered a variety of questions, in French and English, from endurance fans from all over the world. The topics included...

- the 2020 24 Hours of Le Mans on 19–20 September:

“The positive aspect with the lower temperatures in September is that the engine should run more efficiently with the cooler air intake. But we will have a number of unknown factors with regard to the tyre windows, which is always different, especially at night, with the long straights at Le Mans. The 24 Hours will also be different this year because we won’t have a Test Day.”

- the Toyota TS050 Hybrid that will be competing at the 24 Hours of Le Mans for the final time in September:

“I love the TS050 Hybrid. It’s a beautiful car. It will remain a peak of automotive technology.” But can the Toyota TS050 Hybrid complete a lap of the full Circuit des 24 Heures du Mans (over 13 kilometres) in full-electric mode? “Almost a full lap, but not quite!”

- Toyota’s Le Mans Hypercar programme:

“Our programme is split into two fields: a racing car and a road car. As far as the racing car is concerned, with the new FIA World Endurance Championship race schedule, we have been able to organise test sessions. Initially, we were supposed to run it in July, but it was becoming difficult to keep to that time frame. Now, with the first race in March, our preparation is more realistic. Our racing hypercar will be out on the track in October. For the road car, the project is ongoing.”

- hybrids and hydrogen:

“As a manufacturer, Toyota was visionary in the field of hybrid engines. The marque anticipated hybrid technology after the conventional combustion engine. But what will the future technological building block be? Everyone talks about electric cars, but it might well be hydrogen. Toyota is already producing a hydrogen fuel cell road car, the Mirai.”

- the closer relations between ACO and IMSA, and the LMDh project:

“There can only be one response to these closer ties and that is to welcome IMSA and the new competitors from 2022. We do not have an LMDh project because Toyota must propose a chassis and an engine for racing, but I understand why this option is interesting other manufacturers. We are focusing on our Le Mans Hypercar.”

- the 2016 24 Hours of Le Mans (the official film of the race is being streamed free of charge from Friday 1 to Wednesday 6 May on the 24 Heures du Mans YouTube channel):

“Toyota helped write an important chapter in the history of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. That moment, in 2016, was quite incredible. The problem that occurred on the next-to-last lap on Kazuki Nakajima’s car happened just seconds after we had instructed him not to take any further risks. And the part that came unstuck did so when Kazuki went over the kerb at the Karting turn for the last time... It cost us victory in 2016.”

- Pascal Vasselon, the motorsports fan:

“I have quite a few motor-powered toys in my garage: a jet-ski, motorbikes, a buggy, and cars including a Ford GT40, a replica of the one that won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1968 and ’69. Mine has the 1969 livery. Since lockdown, I haven’t missed a day’s work in Cologne and yet I’ve still managed to fix everything that needed fixing at home in Spa.”