Toyota set to reduce World Endurance line-up back to one car

AUTOSPORT understands that the Toyota Motorsport GmbH team will slim down its WEC assault to the one car it initially planned for the full season in the remaining five rounds, starting at Interlagos in Brazil at the beginning of September.

Toyota, which finished second and third behind the winning Audi at last month's Le Mans 24 Hours, originally entered one car for the eight-race WEC and two for the French enduro and Spa round in May as a warm-up.

It subsequently increased its full-season line-up to two cars, after the closing date for entries, following intense lobbying from series promoter, the Automobile Club de l'Ouest.

The decision is understood to be entirely based on the resources available to the Cologne-based team, which has to develop a new car to a new set of regulations for 2014.

TMG has refused to comment on its intentions for the rest of the season. It is believed that confirmation of the move could come within the next two weeks.

It appears likely that Toyota will focus on the #7 car shared by Alex Wurz, Nicolas Lapierre and Kazuki Nakajima, even though the first two trail team-mates Anthony Davidson, Stephane Sarrazin and Sebastien Buemi by 26 points in the WEC drivers' standings.

Davidson, Sarrazin and Buemi lie third in the table on 63 points, 31 behind Le Mans winners Allan McNish, Tom Kristensen and Loic Duval.