Supra hybrid wins race

It's a sign of the future. First we had hybrid petrol-electric cars entering motor races. Now they're winning them. Just when we get used to diesel-fuelled cars winning the long-distance sports car races such as the Le Mans 24-hour, a Toyota Supra fitted with hybrid drive system has won the Tokachi 24-hour race in Japan.

The 360kW, V8 race car that had been retired from Japan's Super GT series was converted to the electric-and-petrol hybrid system. Entered as the Denso Toyota Supra HV-R, it took pole, led most of the way with a comfortable gap and then opened out the lead over the closing stages to a formidable 19-lap margin.

The Supra HV-R's 4480cc V8 engine generates 360kW of power at 6800rm and 510Nm torque at 5600rpm.

But then a small, 10kW electric motor was fitted to each front wheel and a third, main electric motor delivering 150kW to drive the rear wheels. The whole car weighs just 1080kg.

Electric motors in a hybrid car also act as generators, sending energy from the car's braking to be stored back in the batteries that drive the electric motors when accelerating.

By having three electric motors in this racer, more energy can be saved and reused. After all, racing is largely about maximum braking from high speeds and rapid acceleration again.

And because racing involves repeated acceleration and braking under full performance, a quick-charging capacitor system was adopted instead of the usual rechargeable batteries.

Our carsguide; in previous years have suggested that hybrid race cars, and rally cars, are set to become common place in the future of motorsport; and perhaps even electric-only cars as motorsport plays its role in reducing emissions.

It's understood that motorsport's world governing body FIA is looking at introducing hybrid technology into F1 from as early as 2011.

It shows that hybrid cars don't have to be slow; just ask Japan's Katsuyuki Hiranaka, Akira Lida and Tatsuya Kataoka and Portugal's Andre Couto who shared the drive over the 24 hours in the Supra.