Toyota eyes up return to Le Mans

The Japanese giant is known to have approached a number of drivers from this year's line-up to see if they are available to race next year.

If Toyota does decide not to enter Formula One in 2001 - choosing instead to support an existing team - there would be capacity to house a Le Mans squad at Toyota Team Europe's factory in Germany.

'It's fair to say that immediately after Le Mans last month there was a desire from Japan to go back to Le Mans,' said a TTE spokesman.

'The decision-making process is now at the assessment stage, and it's looking 50-50 at the moment.'

However, ITV F1 commentator Martin Brundle, who drove for Toyota this year in the endurance race but failed to finish, refused to say whether he would be part of next year's line-up.

'It's too early to say,' he commented. 'I'm still hurting mentally. I haven't given it a second thought.'