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Sebastien Buemi informed the media that the LMP1 vehicles, which were previously the cars in the top class at Le Mans, were “clearly superior” to the current top class Hypercar cars.
“The LMP1 was evidently much better. Considerably faster. Considerably lighter. Somehow, I got more pleasure from it,” expressed the Swiss driver.
“On the other hand, I appreciate the fact that now we have a substantial amount of competition with the Hypercars and all the manufacturers that have joined the championship.
“I believe that, for the state of the sport, for the drivers, and for everyone involved, this results in a better spectacle and a superior race under the current regulations.”
Buemi has been racing for Toyota since 2012 when the Japanese manufacturer made its debut in the FIA World Endurance Championship. This makes him the only “original” driver from Toyota’s initial lineup of drivers, having driven all of Toyota’s prototypes in WEC history.
This includes the TS030, with which Toyota started in 2012, the TS040 introduced in 2014, and the TS050 introduced in 2016 and used until 2020. The team’s first Hypercar, the GR010 Hybrid, debuted in 2021 and is the vehicle with which the team competes, driven by Buemi currently.
Specifically, Buemi drives the Toyota GR010 Hybrid #8 alongside Brendon Hartley and Ryo Hirakawa.
“I believe the regulations have evolved overall due to the need for cost reduction,” he stated.
“The technology is obviously different, and the hybrid systems are distinct. However, in terms of competition, we now have a significantly larger number of participants and manufacturers involved.
“Therefore, in this aspect, I believe that ACO and FIA have done a commendable job in attracting participants. We will have to see how long everyone will remain committed. But so far, it has been positive.
“However, as I mentioned earlier, I miss the speed and technology of LMP1 to some extent. As a driver, you always want to drive a faster vehicle.”
