The 2013 Toyota TS030 Hybrid is already a step forward from last year's car.
Alex Wurz, who has so far driven the latest version of the gasoline-electric LMP1 coupe along with Anthony Davidson and Sebastien Buemi, believes that the revised car is an improvement on its predecessor both in terms of outright performance and driveability.
"The increase in performance in the car was apparent straightaway," said Wurz of the initial shakedown of the 2013 TS030 at Paul Ricard earlier this month. "We wanted to improve performance and we have done that. Ricard is a bit of a strange place, but from all the testing I have done here, I think that will correlate to an improvement at the tracks were are going to race on."
Wurz explained that the he and his teammates immediately felt the new car, which is built around a new monocoque and features revised front-end aerodynamics, was a more driveable machine.
"We all had the same feeling: we all felt more connected with the car," he said. "The steering is improved and the braking is better, so you can feel what the tires are doing. It all adds up to a much more user-friendly car."
The new TS030, which was launched at Ricard on Tuesday, will begin testing in earnest at the former home of the French Grand Prix this week.