The Toyota WEC LMP1 team is preparing for the 2019/20 winter season – WEC

Toyota is preparing to compete in the World Endurance Championship during the 2019/20 season which will begin next September.

The Japanese manufacturer has not yet officially confirmed its participation in the first season of the WEC in the format "winter series", but the team of Toyota Motorsport GmbH in Cologne is preparing for a new assault with the TS050 HYBIRD in anticipation of an imminent decision.

TMG team director Rob Leupen told Autosport: "We are preparing budgets and we are generally preparing for next season.

"All of this is going in that direction and we are approaching the decision to continue after the current super season – we should be here next season."

According to Leupen, a decision should be made in January before the normal announcement of its upcoming motor sport programs by Toyota early February.

He stated that it would be "logical" for Toyota to continue running with the TS050 in the last season of the current LMP1 rule book before its likely entry into the new hypercar concept formula in the season 2020/21.

"It makes sense to keep running and keeping the team together," he said.

"We would like to run with a nice machine and we could prepare for 2020 if we want to participate."

Leupen revealed that a commitment to developing a hypercar concept prototype could come at the same time as the confirmation of its 2019/20 program.

"We hope that will happen because we have to launch the program," he said.

"We are very involved in the rules development group and we are conducting studies.

"Whether we do it or not, it's not decided, but it looks very positive."

Leupen suggested that the TS050 could evolve in time for the start of the 2019/20 season, which will begin at Silverstone next September.

"Looking at our competitors, we may need to do one or two small stages of development, but we will not do big things," he said.

The confirmation of a WEC 2019/20 program would give Toyota a hat trick after a hat-trick after the 24 Hours of Le Mans after its victory in 2018, which would allow it to retain the trophy.