McNish predicts Toyota return

Le Mans winner and former Formula One driver Allan McNish has tipped his former employer Toyota to return to the sportscar endurance classic, the 24 Hours of Le Mans

John McIlroy Jun 15, 2006, 2:52 PM

Speaking in an exclusive Autocar.co.uk video interview, conducted during his drive south to the La Sarthe venue, McNish said that the race's open attitude to new technology - highlighted by his own Audi R10 TDI this coming weekend - could attract the Japanese manufacturer.

"I wouldn't be at all surprised to see Toyota coming back to Le Mans," said McNish. "It's a holy grail for them, really, and obviously unfinished business. Who knows - perhaps they could come back with something based on their hybrid technology."

McNish also expects Porsche to return to the top flight of sportscar racing.

"I know there's a lot of internal pressure to do that," he said. "I think Porsche will come. Like all motorsports, sportscars runs in cycles and I think we're about to see a manufacturer influx that will be great for competition."

The full video of the interview with McNish can be found on Autocar.co.uk.