Why Toyota is giving a scapegoat a second chance
Toyota brutally dumped Nicolas Lapierre from the line-up that ultimately won the 2014 WEC, but has recalled him for its extra car this year. What does the about-face say about its original decision?
Bizarre yet expedient. That's how I would describe the recall of Nicolas Lapierre to Toyota's World Endurance Championship squad two-and-a-half years after he was dropped.
Lapierre's return to the Toyota ranks to drive its third car at the Le Mans 24 Hours and, by way of preparation, the Spa WEC round in May is strange on two counts. It is an unlikely volte-face for a manufacturer that's from a nation where the concept of saving face - or rather not losing it - is part of daily life.
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