Toyota Gazoo Racing’s Triumph at the 6 Hours of São Paulo Reignites Championship Hopes
Toyota Gazoo Racing electrified the 2024 FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) with a stunning victory at the 6 Hours of São Paulo, reigniting their title challenge at the historic Interlagos circuit.
In a setting reminiscent of Toyota’s first-ever hybrid-powered WEC victory in 2012, World Champions Sébastien Buemi, Brendon Hartley, and Ryo Hirakawa captured their first win of the season in the #8 GR010 HYBRID, thrilling a passionate crowd of 73,205 Brazilian fans.
The #7 GR010 HYBRID, driven by Mike Conway, Kamui Kobayashi, and Nyck de Vries, started from pole position and seemed poised for victory until a lengthy pit stop due to a technical issue dropped them down the order. Nonetheless, their impressive comeback secured fourth place and 12 valuable championship points.
This hard-earned victory, marked by flawless driving, seamless teamwork, and superior tire strategy, garnered maximum points for Toyota Gazoo Racing, narrowing the gap to the leading Porsche team to just four points in the manufacturers’ standings with three races remaining.
For the first time since Bahrain last November, an all-Toyota front row led the field at the start. Mike Conway made a clean getaway, establishing an early lead. Despite running wide in the first turn, Brendon Hartley recovered to secure second place.
Mike carefully managed his medium compound tires in the hot and abrasive conditions of Interlagos, navigating traffic with precision. By the end of the first hour, he had built an 11-second lead over Brendon, who kept the #5 Porsche at bay.
The #7 car maintained its dominance until a drive-through penalty for a full-course yellow infringement erased Mike’s advantage. The situation worsened early in the third hour when a control unit repair was required, relegating Nyck to 18th place.
Meanwhile, Ryo took the wheel of the #8 car, swiftly moving to the front. By mid-race, he had extended his lead to 30 seconds, pitting only for right-side Michelin tires to maintain temperature and manage degradation.
Ryo’s impressive debut at Interlagos saw him build a 40-second lead before handing over to Sébastien for the final stints. Nyck’s resilient performance brought the #7 back into contention, with Kamui taking over for the final push.
Sébastien maintained the #8 car’s consistent pace, making a final fuel stop with an hour remaining and rejoining with a clear lead. He held this position until the finish, crossing the line 1 minute and 8.811 seconds ahead of the #6 Porsche.
Kamui’s determined drive saw him hunt down the #51 Ferrari in the closing laps, executing a breathtaking overtake for fourth place in the final minutes.
Following a successful outing in South America, Toyota Gazoo Racing’s quest to defend their World Championship titles continues in North America at the Lone Star Le Mans in Austin, Texas, on September 1.
Team Reflections
Akio Toyoda (Team Founder): “Congratulations to Séb, Brendon, Ryo, and the entire #8 team for this fantastic victory! Your determination after the disappointment at Le Mans was evident, and you truly redeemed the spirit of TOYOTA GAZOO Racing. I also want to commend the #7 team for their remarkable fight back to fourth place. Kamui’s spectacular overtake was a highlight. Thank you to all our supporters, especially our Brazilian friends. Your passion fuels our success.”
Kamui Kobayashi (Team Principal and Driver, car #7): “This was a strong week for our team. Both cars performed exceptionally well in qualifying and the race, with excellent tire management. Despite the setback with car #7, our recovery to fourth place was a testament to our resilience. Congratulations to car #8 on their victory. We will analyze our issues and come back even stronger.”
Mike Conway (Driver, car #7): “We had a strong car today. Despite a mistake with the FCY, we regained the lead, but a technical issue set us back. The team’s effort to bring us back to fourth was commendable. We are determined to improve for the upcoming races.”
Nyck de Vries (Driver, car #7): “Overall, a positive weekend. The performance was strong, and the team excelled. Although a technical issue thwarted our victory, our recovery to fourth place was impressive. Congratulations to car #8 on their win.”
Sébastien Buemi (Driver, car #8): “An incredible day for car #8, securing our first win of the season. Our car’s performance, particularly tire management, was outstanding. Despite a tough season start, we finally had a flawless weekend. Well done to car #7 for their valiant effort.”
Brendon Hartley (Driver, car #8): “Winning the first race of the season feels fantastic. Although car #7 had an unfortunate issue, their performance was commendable. Our clean race and strategic tire management were key to our success. We aim to maintain this momentum.”
Ryo Hirakawa (Driver, car #8): “I’m thrilled with our first win of the year. Despite challenging tire degradation, we managed well and maintained our lead. The team’s support was crucial, and we appreciate the fans’ enthusiasm. With three races left, we remain focused on the championship.”
6 Hours of São Paulo – Results:
1st: #8 TOYOTA GAZOO Racing – 236 laps
2nd: #6 Porsche Penske (Estre/Lotterer/Vanthoor) – +1min 8.811secs
3rd: #5 Porsche Penske (Campbell/Christensen/Makowiecki) – +1min 15.993secs
4th: #7 TOYOTA GAZOO Racing – +1min 23.571secs
5th: #51 Ferrari AF Corse (Pier Guidi/Calado/Giovinazzi) – +1min 27.395secs
6th: #50 Ferrari AF Corse (Fuoco/Molina/Nielsen) – +1 lap
