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The privateer pace mystery that has Toyota puzzled

The times from last weekend's Le Mans test surprised Toyota, which expected the privateer LMP1 squads to be much closer thanks to their Equivalence of Technology gains. But there are several key reasons behind this unforeseen discrepancy

"What is going on with the LMP1 privateers? Why are they so slow?" Those were the questions Toyota was asking after the official pre-race test for the 2019 Le Mans 24 Hours last weekend.

Everyone was slower at the test day on Sunday than 12 months ago because it was much hotter, but Toyota expressed surprise that the Rebellion and SMP squads, the independents most likely to be nibbling at its heels next week, were significantly slower than one year ago when, to its mind, they damn well shouldn't be.

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Author Gary Watkins

Gary Watkins has, for reasons best known to himself, devoted all his working life to covering sportscar racing. This season is his 33rd as a motorsport journalist, during which time he has reported on major long-distance events on four continents and approaching 80 24-hour races. He reckons a degree in political philosophy makes him well qualified for covering the sometimes Machiavellian world of international sportscars.

Gary, who also writes for Motor Sport, Autocourse, RACER and others, lives in Surbiton close to the former workshops of the Cooper Formula 1 team but spends more time on the road than at home for most of the year.