MOTORSPORT – TOYOTA Gazoo Racing’s (TGR) title-clinching victory in the World Endurance Championship (WEC) season-finale in Bahrain on Saturday defied all odds.
This was highlighted by Swiss superstar Sebastien Buemi, who drove the team’s #8 GR010-Hybrid home in the WEC 8 Hours of Bahrain, powered by Bapco Energies under lights at Bahrain International Circuit (BIC).
TGR completed a thrilling fightback in a dramatic day-to-night racing spectacle. Buemi and his crew of Brendon Hartley and Ryo Hirakawa started from pole but their car was hit from behind by a GT competitor early on and they spun down to seventh. They then dropped all the way back to 10th with just over an hour remaining, but Buemi put in a heroic charge through the field that saw him overtake several rivals.
The former Bahrain resident finally took the lead past the #5 car of chief title rivals Porsche Penske Motorsport en route to taking the chequered flag with a comfortable 29.177-second gap from their closest challengers.
“It’s crazy to think we won the race considering how it was going at some point,” said Buemi. “Against all the odds, with issues, penalties and bad luck, it’s an amazing feeling for the team to win the world championship.
“That was our target here and we’ve achieved it thanks to a brilliant effort from the team. When our car was down in 10th, we were going to the back of the Hypercar field during the pit stops and I thought we were done.
“But my teammates did a good job hanging on with the old tyres and that meant I had a tyre advantage at the end. When it mattered today, we did a good job together and I am so pleased for the whole team.”
Hartley, from New Zealand, commented: “I am so happy for everyone. The race didn’t go as smoothly at the beginning as it could have done. Then at the end Seb did an unbelievable stint. He was the star; it was an incredible drive.
“We really had to fight for this win and championship, so it means a lot. For our car to end the season with a victory is fantastic going into the winter break.”
Japanese ace Hirakawa added: “What a day. It was an up-and-down race, but we never gave up and we fought as one team.
“In the #8 car, we have had some difficulties this season, so I am happy to finally get a bit of luck. It’s fantastic to finish the season with a win.”
The result was the third race win for TGR in the 2024 WEC campaign and second for the #8 crew. The Japanese outfit had also triumphed in the 6 Hours of Sao Paulo in Brazil last July.
Toyota secured the FIA Hypercar World Endurance Manufacturers’ Championship by just two points from Porsche. They finished with 190 with Porsche on 188 and Ferrari in third with 137. TGR won the crown for the sixth straight WEC season.
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