Sebastien Buemi believes Toyota Gazoo Racing will be “completely out of the fig𝕴ht” at this weekend’s 4 Hours of Shanghai as the FIA World Endurance Cha𒉰mpionship’s handicap system continues to bite.

Under new rules to try and equalise performance in the LMP1 class for the 2019-20 season, teams are🔜 handicapped depending on their championship position, with Toyota facing a reduction in hybrid power and petrol energy per lap.

The deficit was estimated to be worth📖 1.4 seconds per lap for the championship-leading #7 Toyota TS050 Hybrid at Fuji last month, leaving it unable to contend with the sis﷽ter #8 car for victory.

Both Toyotas will face even more significant handicaps 𝔉in Shsanghai this weekend, giving LMP1 rivals Rebellion Racing a🌄nd Ginetta an opportunity to end its perfect start to the season.

Speaking in the ☂pre-race press conference on Friday, #8 Toyota driver Buemi cast doubt on the team’s chances at the Shanghai International Circuit in light of the handicaps.

“I 🧜think it will be the first time where we’ll be actually fighting with the LMP2. We’ll do the best we can,” Bue🤡mi said.

“Obviously it’s a four-hour race and things can happen, but on pure pace, we have no real hope to fight th⛎e other guys.

“We don’t get the tyres to work in their right window now. It’s diff🃏icult. We’ve been trying to optimise everything we can but it’s going to be a completely different challenge that we’ve had in the past.

“Here, I think we’re completely out of the fight. We’re m♍ost likely going to start fourth or fifth and we’re going to try to haveꩲ a fight.

“But right now, it looks like we won♎’t be able to have a fight.”

Practice on Friday in Shanꦏghai saw the Ginetta-backed Team LNT head the timesheets with its #6 car, albeit by just 0.061 seconds from the #8 Toyota.