José Maria Lopez will miss the 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps
Two weeks' rest weren't enough for Toyota driver Jose Maria Lopez, who crashed at the 6 Hours of Silverstone and will not be able to take the wheel at the 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps. He is expected to make his return at the 24 Hours of Le Mans next month.
On the occasion of the WEC championship opening in mid-April, Jose Maria Lopez was victim of an impressive high-speed off-track excursion. The Argentine driver nevertheless managed to bring his damaged car back to his pit. The Toyota team mechanics then accomplished a real feat by being able to get car No. 7 back on the track in mint condition, to the point of setting the fastest lap in the race.
Nevertheless, the new recruit of the Japanese manufacturer did not come out completely unscathed from this encounter with the barriers, as he suffered a slight injury to two vertebrae. While he was relying on rest to recover, the two weeks between the events did not allow him to recover sufficiently to face the physical challenge of the Ardennes slide.
The three-time WTCC world champion had no choice but to withdraw from this event: « I’m very disappointed to miss this weekend’s race because I was really looking forward to driving the TS050 Hybrid at Spa. I’m feeling generally better but we agree that we shouldn’t take any risks. The priority is to be fully recovered for Le Mans. I might have been able to race on another circuit, but the body undergoes extreme forces at Eau Rouge. »
The 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps is the first race where Toyota fields three cars to maximize its chances of success during the 24-hour race at Le Mans. The team has decided to split its efforts into two distinct strategies: the two cars racing all season, numbers 7 and 8, are adopting a high downforce aerodynamic profile to best meet the demands of the Belgian circuit, while car number 9 is equipped with a low drag profile. This configuration will be used on the long straights at Le Mans. This weekend’s race will therefore serve as a full-scale dress rehearsal.
If Mike Conway and Kamui Kobayashi will therefore be only two this weekend, they should get their teammate back by June 4th and the first official tests in Le Mans. To ensure the health of their driver and have time to find an alternative solution if necessary, the team has also planned to have him conduct tests in the seat beforehand.
With the participation of www.racingbusiness.fr
