Toyota GAZOO Racing Dominates 8 Hours of Bahrain with 1-2 Podium Finish

Toyota GAZOO Racing (TGR) concluded a thrilling 2023 FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) season with a one-two victory in the 8 Hours of Bahrain, confirming its fifth World Championship drivers’ title. Toyota also secured its manufacturers’ title, marking the perfect end to an exciting season featuring fierce challenges from the motorsports world’s top competitors.

First-place winners Sébastien Buemi, Brendon Hartley and Ryo Hirakawa clinched their second consecutive drivers’ World Championship in their No.8 GR010 Hybrid Electric Hypercar. Buemi and Hartley also made history by cinching their fourth drivers’ title each, while Hirakawa claimed titles in WEC’s 2022 and 2023 seasons. Meanwhile, Mike Conway, Kamui Kobayashi and José María López battled to secure second place in the championship in the No.7 GR010 Hybrid Electric Hypercar.

Akio Toyoda, TGR Chairman, commented: “The ‘battle of athletes’ that the two Toyota GAZOO Racing cars fought until the end was the best. Thank you to the six drivers, as well as the mechanics and engineers of both vehicles, for a wonderful race. Congratulations to Sebastien, Brendon and Ryo for their second consecutive drivers’ title. Thank you also to Kamui, Jose and Mike in car No.7 who made it a one-two.”

Buemi led from pole position, with consistent speed allowing him to build an advantage over the competition for top spot. Despite an accident that knocked Conway to the back of the field early on, he was able to pull off a series of decisive overtaking maneuvers and two stunning overtakes at the one-hour mark to return to the top three. During the second hour, Buemi stretched his lead further, while Conway closed in on second place. Just before the start of hour three, Conway handed the No.7 to Kobayashi, who quickly set a new fastest lap and moved into second.

Hartley took the wheel of the No.8 and led the race as darkness fell, with Kobayashi around half a minute behind. Precise driving through the lapped traffic saw the situation stabilize at the front and, at half distance, López and Hirakawa began their stints with the GR010 Hybrid Electric Hypercars running comfortably in first and second.

Kobayashi and Hartley took over for the final hour of the race. With a 40-second advantage in the lead, Hartley guided the No.8 safely through the closing laps while Kobayashi set the race’s fastest lap.

Toyota GAZOO Racing brought the 2023 season to an end after seven events, 64 hours of racing and six wins, including four one-twos, to take the team’s tally to 45 victories since its WEC debut in 2012.

Toyota presented its multi-pathway approach to hundreds of motorsports fans at a dedicated booth during 8 Hours of Bahrain. This encompasses a diverse range of eco-friendly vehicle technologies, catering to global market needs, including the Toyota Mirai and the GR lineup. These events affirm Toyota’s commitment to achieving a carbon-neutral society and creating a more sustainable future, both on and off the racetrack.

Over the years, Toyota has been participating in many different forms of motorsports, ‎including Formula One, the World Endurance Championship and the Nürburgring 24 ‎Hours endurance race. Toyota’s involvement in these events was overseen by separate ‎entities within the company until April 2015, when Toyota established GAZOO Racing (GR) ‎to consolidate its motorsports activities under one in-house brand. Representing ‎Toyota’s belief that ‘the roads build the people’ and ‘the people build the cars’ – GR highlights the role of motorsports as a fundamental pillar of Toyota’s commitment to ‎making ‘ever-better’ cars. Harnessing years of experience garnered under the extreme ‎conditions of various motorsports events, GR aims to forge new ‎technologies and solutions that bring the freedom, adventure and joy of driving to everyone.

Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (Syndigate.info).