Toyota reveals its 2017 TS050 HYBRID WEC challenger

The revised LMP1 challenger, built around the same monocoque as last year's original, has been "optimised in virtually all areas" after a change in regulations designed to rob the cars of downforce, according to a Toyota statement.

The 2.4-litre engine, developed at Toyota's Higashi-Fuji technical centre in Japan, has a new block, cylinder head and combustion chamber design that has allowed an increase in compression ratio.

The eight megajoule hybrid system has been optimised with the reduction in size and weight of the motor generator units and further refinement of the lithium-ion battery introduced in last year's car.

Toyota unveiled the car at Monza on Friday, ahead of this weekend's official WEC test, in low-downforce configuration with a raised nose and a sharp undercut to the sidepods.

Its racing hybrid project leader Histake Murata said: "The team in Higashi-Fuji has worked ceaselessly since the Le Mans 24 Hours last year to develop a powertrain that will deliver performance over one lap and our a full race distance.

"This has resulted in a new engine, plus modifications to the motor generator units and battery.

"The first results are very encouraging but we will continue to fine tune so we are ready."

Toyota Motorsport GmbH technical director Pascal Vasselon described the 2017 TS050 as a "significant update" and said that the only component that remained unchanged was the monocoque.

"We showed the potential of the car with strong performances at several races last year, but to achieve our targets we need more," he explained.

"So as well as big aerodynamic changes, we have optimised each area for performance and weight."

Toyota is expected to race the TS050 in high-downforce configuration when the 2017 kicks off at Silverstone on April 16.

Toyota is going into the new season with a new full-seasodn driver in multiple World Touring Car Champion Jose Maria Lopez.

It will also run a third car at Le Mans in June for the first time since its return to front-line sports car racing in 2012.