Kunimoto and Lapierre Complete Toyota Gazoo Racing Driver Line-up for the 2017 World Endurance Championship
Toyota Gazoo Racing have confirmed their 2017 FIA World Endurance Championship driver line-up with Yuji Kunimoto and Nicolas Lapierre set to join the team for the races at Spa-Francorchamps and Le Mans.
They will complete the crew of the No9 TS050 Hybrid alongside lead driver Stéphane Sarrazin for the second and third rounds of the season.
Kunimoto has a wealth of endurance racing experience from eight seasons in Super GT in Japan. He made headlines last year by beating several world-renowned drivers to claim the Super Formula championship, the top tier of Japanese single-seater racing. This year he will defend his Super Formula title in addition to contesting another Super GT campaign.
Frenchman Lapierre is making a return to Toyota Gazoo Racing, having previously raced with the team from 2012 to 2014. During that time he helped Toyota achieve its first WEC race victories. Since then he has established himself as a leading driver in the LMP2 WEC category, twice taking class wins at Le Mans and winning the drivers’ title in 2016.
Today’s announcement follows Toyota Gazoo Racing’s confirmation in January that the No7 car will be driven by Mike Conway, Kamui Kobayashi and José María López, with Sébastien Buemi, Anthony Davidson and Kazuki Nakajima competing in the No8 Toyota.
Toshio Sato, Team President, said: ““I am very pleased to welcome Nicolas and Yuji into our driver line-up for the races at Spa and Le Mans. I am confident that, together with a driver of Stéphane’s abilities, we have a strong line-up in the No9 car.
“We know Nicolas well and we have maintained a positive relationship with him. He is a very quick driver who understands what it takes to succeed at Le Mans so I am sure he will fit into the team quickly and easily. Yuji is a promising driver who has shown his speed and determination in Japanese racing. In testing he has been consistently fast, as well as a team player, so I am sure he will adapt to the demands of WEC.”
Yuji Kunimoto Profile
Born 12 September 1990, Yokohama, Japan
Height 1.68m
Weight 62kg
Career History
| 2008 | Formula Challenge Japan: 1st (8 wins) |
| Formula BMW Pacific (ART): 16th | |
| 2009 | Super GT, GT300 class (apr): 10th |
| Japanese Formula Three (TOM’S): 3rd (4 wins) | |
| 2010 | Super GT, GT300 class (apr): 5th (1 win) |
| Japanese Formula Three (TOM’S): 1st (10 wins) | |
| 2011 | Super GT, GT300 class (apr): 7th |
| Formula Nippon (INGING): 10th | |
| 2012 | Super GT (Kraft): 13th |
| Formula Nippon (INGING): 13th | |
| 2013 | Super GT (LeMans): 5th (1 win) |
| Super Formula (INGING): 10th | |
| 2014 | Super GT (LeMans): 7th |
| Super Formula (INGING): 7th | |
| 2015 | Super GT (LeMans): 9th |
| Super Formula (INGING): 9th | |
| 2016 | Super GT (Bandoh): 4th (1 win) |
| Super Formula (INGING): 1st (2 wins) |
Nicolas Lapierre Profile
Born 2 April 1984, Thonon-Les-Bains (France)
Lives Geneva (Switzerland)
Height 170 cm
Weight 69 kg
Career History
| 1993 | Began career in karts |
| 1997 | European Kart Championship, CIK Cadet Class: 6th |
| 2000 | French Formula Renault |
| 2001 | French Formula Renault: 8th (4th in Junior class) |
| 2002 | Formula Renault Eurocup (Graff Racing): 3rd |
| 2003 | Formula 3 EuroSeries (Signature Plus): 4th |
| Macau Grand Prix: 1st | |
| 2004 | Formula 3 EuroSeries (Signature Plus): 3rd (3 wins) |
| 2005 | GP2 Series (Arden International): 12th |
| 2006 | GP2 Series (Arden International): 9th |
| A1 Grand Prix (Team France): 1st (6 wins) | |
| 2007 | GP2 Series (DAMS): 12th (2 wins) |
| Le Mans 24 Hours (ORECA): 9th | |
| 2008 | Le Mans Series (ORECA): 12th |
| 2009 | Le Mans Series (ORECA): 6th (1 win) |
| Le Mans 24 Hours (ORECA): 5th | |
| Asian Le Mans Series (ORECA): 3rd | |
| 2010 | Le Mans Series (Team ORECA): 2nd (1 win) |
| Le Mans 24 Hours (ORECA): DNF | |
| 2011 | Le Mans Series / Inter. Le Mans Cup (ORECA): 1 win |
| Le Mans 24 Hours (ORECA): 5th | |
| 2012 | Le Mans 24 Hours (TOYOTA Racing): DNF |
| World Endurance Championship (TOYOTA Racing): 3rd (3 wins) | |
| 2013 | Le Mans 24 Hours (TOYOTA Racing): 4th |
| World Endurance Championship (TOYOTA Racing): 4th (1 win) | |
| 2014 | Le Mans 24 Hours (TOYOTA Racing): 3rd |
| World Endurance Championship (TOYOTA Racing): 6th (2 wins) | |
| 2015 | Le Mans 24 Hours (KCMG): 9th (1st in LMP2) |
| World Endurance Championship (KCMG): 5th in LMP2 (1 win) | |
| 2016 | Le Mans 24 Hours (Signatech Alpine): 5th (1st in LMP2) |
| World Endurance Championship (Signatech Alpine): 1st (4 wins) |
