Wednesday, 19 October 2011 19:59
Toyota marks return to Le Mans in 2012
Words by Christopher Kho
After a 13 year absence, Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) have announced that they will finally make a return to the Circuit de la Sarthe in 2012. Competing with a gasoline-electric hybrid LMP1, Toyota is entering their prototype in the inaugural season of the FIA (Federation Internationale de l'Automobile) World Endurance Championship. Although Toyota might not have intentions to contest in all of the series' rounds, winning the Le Mans 24 Hours is certainly on the top of their priority list.
The LMP project will most likely be headed by Cologne-based Toyota Motorsport GmbH, the same people behind the Panasonic Formula 1 team and the Toyota GT-One (codenamed TS020) - the Japanese giant's last attempt at Le Mans in 1999. With over four decades of experience, eight of which were spent in Formula 1, they should have no trouble taking on Peugeot and the unstoppable Audi's. It'll be quite interesting though how the petrol-electric hybrid will fair up against the more popular turbo-diesels.
Published in
Motorsports
Thursday, 06 January 2011 10:30
FIA President, Jean Todt, and the AAP promotes Road Safety in the Philippines
Words and photos by Christopher Kho
The Automobile Association of the Philippines (AAP) held a press conference last January 5, 2011 to promote road safety with its distinguished guest Jean Todt, president of the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA). Globally, 1.3 million people are killed every year due to road accidents; 90% of which occur in developing countries. This means that more people lose their lives on the road than from malaria. In the Philippines, where the situation is not any better, the number of road fatalities reach up to 10,000 annually, making this road safety campaign timely.
“Driving a car is a big responsibility for you and for the people around you,” said Todt. With a population of over 90 million, he also pointed out that the lack of education, the lack of respect for the rules, poor car maintenance, and poor quality of road infrastructures are amongst the Philippines’ most important causes of road accidents. “And it’s not only about people who are driving their car, their bus, their motorbike or their bicycle. It’s about pedestrians, it’s about children who are going to school every morning and not knowing how they can cross the road,” he added.
Published in
Features
