TOYOTA GAZOO Racing aims to kick off the 2023 FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) season with another title celebration at the 8 Hours of Bahrain.
The team was crowned Manufacturers’ World Champion in the penultimate race at Fuji Speedway last month and won the Drivers’ Championship on Saturday, joining Ferrari, Porsche, Cadillac, Peugeot and Vanwall. could conclude an exciting season of hypercar competition.
Mike Conway, Kamui Kobayashi and Jose María López aim to set a new WEC record of five wins in a single season in the #7 GR010 HYBRID, putting the pressure on as they battle for their third World Championship title in four seasons. I keep hanging it.
His home win at Fuji Speedway brought him within 15 points of teammates Sebastien Buemi, Brendon Hartley and Ryo Hirakawa. The #8 GR010 HYBRID driver can guarantee his second consecutive World Championship if he finishes 1st or he finishes 2nd in Bahrain, regardless of other results.
TOYOTA GAZOO Racing’s fifth consecutive drivers’ title is still not mathematically certain, with both Ferraris still in the challenge. The #50 driver is 36 points behind him while the #51 crew is 31 points behind him and he still has 39 available in Bahrain.
The 5.412km long Bahrain International Circuit has been a happy hunting ground for teams for many years. They have won eight of the 11 WEC races held there since 2012 and are aiming for a seventh consecutive win and sixth consecutive one-two.
The challenging 15-turn layout is particularly taxing on the tires, made even more difficult by the changing conditions expected during Saturday’s race, which starts in the early afternoon and generally continues after sunset and into the evening when temperatures cool. .
To prepare for these different situations, Thursday’s practice will include a daytime session during the day and an evening session in the dark. A final practice at noon on Friday will set up qualifying, which will take place just as the sun sets at 5:05pm local time (3:05pm CET). Saturday’s race will start at 2pm local time (4pm CET).
The official track competition in 2023 will surpass the Bahrain 8 Hours. The next day, the team took part in the WEC Rookie Test, and rising LMP2 star Josh Pearson, 17, will become the hypercar’s youngest driver if he completes at least 30 laps in Sunday’s test. Jack Hawksworth and Ben Barnicoat, who won the 2023 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship GTD Pro title driving Vassar Sullivan Racing’s Lexus RC F GT3, will also be driving the GR010 HYBRID for the first time.
Kamui Kobayashi (team representative and driver, car No. 7):
“It has been an exciting season so far and the whole team is enjoying competing against our new hypercar competitors. We still have one big goal to achieve in Bahrain and that is the drivers’ title. It won’t be easy for the No. 7 car as we are a few points behind, but we will keep fighting and aim for our fifth win of the season.The most important thing is that one of our cars wins the title and we want to do that. We will all be working hard to achieve this. Bahrain has been a successful circuit for us so far and we want to continue that record, but the competition will be fierce again and Porsche We saw at Fuji that they are now as big a competitor as Ferrari, so it’s going to be tough. It’s a close race. We’ve prepared well and we’re looking forward to it.”
Mike Conway (driver, No. 7):
“I enjoy racing in Bahrain. Bahrain has been a good circuit for me over the years. I won my first WEC race with a Toyota in 2014 and am a two-time world champion there. In the car, we are fighting for the title again this year and we will do everything we can to win the race. We can only do our best and see how our sister cars do. It has been a great season and we will continue to do well in the championship. No matter what happens, winning five of seven races would be an incredible feat.”
Jose María López (driver, car No. 7):
“I’m looking forward to racing in Bahrain again, as I enjoy the circuit as well as racing at night and in hot conditions. Our GR010 HYBRID usually performs well on this track and the team’s record is Very good on the track, so I’m optimistic. But as usual it won’t be easy and the hypercar rivals will also want to finish the season on a good note, so the competition will be very close. Again, it’s going to be about who can find the right set-up and who can manage the tires better in all conditions.”
Sebastien Buemi (driver, car No. 8):
“Bahrain is a great place to have the final race of the season and it’s a special place for me. I won two championships there so I have great memories. As drivers, we loved our stay in Bahrain. I always enjoy it. It’s a really great track where you can enjoy a little bit of everything: long straights with overtaking possibilities, fast corners, elevation changes. It’s also special to race at night so you can go there and be the champion. I can’t wait to compete for the ship.”
Brendon Hartley (driver, No. 8 car):
“This is a big race for us and I hope it’s a fitting end to the season for the team. Winning the Manufacturers’ title in Japan is a big win for us as we move into the Drivers’ Championship battle in Bahrain. It was really good because it kept me focused. My teammates in the No. 7 car have been really fast all season, so they’ll be a formidable rival again. The other hypercar teams are very competitive as well and we’ll be back at the front again. It will be a close battle, but I have fond memories of the title celebration in Bahrain and I hope we can enjoy another title celebration on Saturday night.”
Ryo Hirakawa (No. 8 car driver):
“A year ago, Sebastian, Brendon and I won the World Championship in Bahrain, so of course our goal is to retain that title this weekend. We know what we need in terms of points but , with such a close race you can’t relax. You really have to work on your setup, especially as you have to compromise between the heat of the day and the coolness of the night. It’s a long race of 8 hours, so you can’t let your guard down. Balance and tire degradation can vary a lot. Finding the best solution requires understanding the car’s reaction, and as a driver you need to be consistent and make no mistakes. Everyone deserves another win or two. I know we’re working hard to finish the season, so let’s keep pushing.”
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