Toyota Racing has revealed details plus images of its endurance racing contender as the Japanese automaker prepares to stage its return in 2012.

The team, which is based at Toyota Motorsport GmbH in Cologne, Germany, will race two cars in specific races during 2012.

It will make its FIA World Endurance Championship debut on May 5, in the Six Hours of Spa-Francorchamps. It also plans to enter two of its TS030 Hybrid cars into the Le Mans 24 Hours on June 16 and 17.

TESTING TIMES

The TS030 Hybrid is a successor to the TS010 and TS020 cars that contested Le Mans, and recorded podium finishes, in the 1990s.

Toyota is the first manufacturer to confirm its participation in the endurance championship using a hybrid system. Its THS-R (Toyota Hybrid System – Racing) powertrain features an all-new V8 3.4-litre normally-aspirated petrol engine and a hybrid system with capacitor storage developed by official team partner Nisshinbo.

A brand new carbon fibre LMP1 chassis has been developed and was made to show its mettle during an exclusive test session from January 11 – 13 at Paul Ricard where the car clocked up several hundred kilometers.

Toyota’s driver line-up includes Alex Wurz, Nicolas Lapierre and Kazuki Nakajima, who have already been confirmed for one car, while additional drivers are yet to be confirmed.