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Buemi to race for Toyota at Le Mans

ESPNF1 Staff
February 10, 2012 « New HRT won't make second test after failing crash test | Pirelli's plan for exciting racing coming to fruition »
Sebastien Buemi will remain with Red Bull as a test driver in 2012 © Getty Images
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Sebastien Buemi will combine his Red Bull testing duties with a drive for Toyota at the Le Mans 24 Hours this year.

Buemi was announced as the Red Bull test and reserve driver for 2012 in early January having been replaced at Toro Rosso. It's now been announced that alongside that role he will race for Toyota in Le Mans, joining Anthony Davidson and Hiroaki Ishiura in the Number 8 car this year. Toyota is running a hybrid car this year in the LMP1 class, with one car competing in the full World Endurance Championship season and Buemi's car running just at Le Mans. Buemi said it was exciting to be racing in a forward thinking car.

"I am really proud to be a Toyota Racing driver at Le Mans; it's a huge event and one of the biggest in motorsport," Buemi said. "It's particularly great to be going there as a Toyota driver because my grandfather has been a Toyota dealer for over 40 years so I've basically grown up with the brand.

"It's also exciting to be driving a hybrid car; I think this is the future and it's nice to see Toyota pushing a lot in that direction. I've driven hybrid cars in the past - the first and second generation Prius - but the TS030 HYBRID is something else. I'm looking forward to racing it; LMP1 cars are fast and it's a professional environment so it is going to be a very positive experience for me."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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