Kazuki Nakajima cleared for Le Mans test
TOYOTA GAZOO Racing is delighted to confirm that Kazuki Nakajima has been declared fit to participate in tomorrow's official test day at Le Mans.
Kazuki suffered a fractured vertebra in an accident at Spa-Francorchamps on 30 April, ruling him out of the second round of the World Endurance Championship.
Kazuki was initially treated at Clinique Sainte-Elisabeth in Verviers before specialist treatment at the neuro-radiology department of Nice Hospital. Expert care from the team doctor and physiotherapists helped Kazuki complete his rehabilitation in time for tomorrow's test.
The FIA Medical Delegate Dr Jacques Tropenat confirmed Kazuki's fitness after an examination this morning and he will now prepare to share the #1 TS040 HYBRID with Anthony Davidson and Sébastien Buemi.
Based on the outcome of the test day, the team will decide whether Kazuki can participate in the Le Mans 24 Hours.
Kazuki Nakajima: "I want to say a huge thank you to all the medical staff who have helped me return so quickly, not just the staff in Verviers and Nice but also the team doctor Bruno Franceschini and our physio Beppe Sebastiani. Everyone has done so much to help me I am truly grateful. My passion for Le Mans helped to motivate me even directly after the accident, when it looked unlikely I would be driving at Le Mans this year. I am just so happy that my Le Mans dream for 2015 is still alive and I can't wait to get back in the car tomorrow at the test."
About TOYOTA Racing in the World Endurance Championship:
TOYOTA first competed in the World Endurance Championship (WEC) in 1983, marking the start of a long period of participation in endurance racing. Since 1985, TOYOTA cars have raced in 16 Le Mans 24 Hours races, achieving a best result of second place on four occasions (1992, 1994, 1999 and 2013). TOYOTA entered the revived WEC in 2012, as TOYOTA Racing, with its first hybrid LMP1 car, the TS030 HYBRID, which won five of the 14 races it entered over two seasons. It was succeeded in 2014 by the four-wheel-drive TS040 HYBRID, which won its debut race and subsequently the 2014 drivers' and manufacturers' World Championships. They were designed and built by TOYOTA Motorsport GmbH (TMG), where the race team is based. TMG is the former home of TOYOTA's World Rally and Formula 1 works teams, and was responsible for design and operation of TOYOTA's TS020 Le Mans car in 1998-99. TMG now combines motorsport participation with work as a high-performance engineering services provider to third party companies, as well as the TOYOTA family.
www.toyotahybridracing.com / www.toyota-motorsport.com / www.facebook.com/toyotamotorsport / @Toyota_Hybrid