A statement from the Toyota Gazoo Racing team this this morning after their pair of TS050 Hybrids were both excluded late last night after failing the skid block deflection test post race makes it clear that the team believe that the new kerbing at Silverstone was the root cause of the issue:

“Both cars suffered damage to their respective front floor areas during the race due to impacts against the new kerbs at Silverstone. Regrettably, this also caused both cars to fail deflection tests in post-race scrutineering. As a result, race stewards disqualified both cars.

“The design and construction of the part concerned has not changed since its introduction at the beginning of the 2017 season. Since then it has successfully passed similar tests, most recently at Spa this season.

“The team is now evaluating its next course of action.”

DSC believes that the team will not now submit an appeal and that the win for the #3 rebellion R13 will therefore be confirmed.

Toyota did though change bodywork on the cars on more than one occasion during the race (front and rear) with the eventual lack of race leading pace for the #7 car referred to in radio traffic as being a result of floor damage.

That does perhaps leave open a question as to why, in a situation where the team was under no pressure from behind, and at least one was known to be suffering from floor damage, the cars continued to attack the Silverstone circuit which, even leaving the kerbing issue aside, was criticised across the weekend by drivers in all classes of both WEC and ELMS for the quality of the surface after the most recent resurfacing?