#8 Toyota dominates at Interlagos

Text: Rick Kiewiet

Images: WEC

Toyota claimed its second win of the FIA World Endurance Championship season with a standout performance in the 6 Hours of São Paulo. The #8 team, featuring Brendon Hartley, Ryo Hirakawa, and Sebastien Buemi, showcased exceptional speed, finishing 1 minute and 8 seconds ahead of the #6 Penske Porsche 963.

Despite the evident speed advantage of the Toyota GR010 Hybrid, the race presented its challenges. The #7 Toyota, driven by Kamui Kobayashi, Mike Conway, and Nyck de Vries, encountered a rare control unit issue in the third hour, losing crucial time. This allowed the #6 Porsche team of Kevin Estre, Andre Lotterer, and Laurens Vanthoor to capitalize and extend their championship lead, overcoming an early puncture.

Porsche Penske Motorsport secured both second and third positions, with the #5 car, piloted by Matt Campbell, Frederic Makowiecki, and Michael Christensen, finishing just behind. A mid-race incident forced a repair on the #5, impacting their overall performance.

The #7 Toyota fought back to claim fourth place, highlighted by Kobayashi’s late-race overtaking move on Alessandro Pier Guidi’s #51 Ferrari. The Ferrari 499P, driven by Pier Guidi, James Calado, and Antonio Giovinazzi, faced a tough day, ultimately securing fifth place.

The #38 JOTA Porsche, affected by a penalty for a technical breach, ended up in seventh. The #12 Hertz Team JOTA Porsche, after a significant setback from a spin by Callum Ilott, finished 18th.

Peugeot celebrated a noteworthy achievement, with the #93 car of Jean-Eric Vergne, Nico Mueller, and Mikkel Jensen finishing eighth, marking the best result for the revamped 9X8. The top ten were rounded out by BMW and Alpine, both teams demonstrating determination and competitive spirit.

Cadillac and Lamborghini encountered difficulties, with brake issues and an unplanned pit stop for a puncture, respectively. The lone Isotta Fraschini Tipo 6 Competizione did not finish due to engine problems.

Manthey PureRxcing Claims Victory in LMGT3

In the LMGT3 category, Manthey PureRxcing captured its second win of the season with the #92 Porsche 911 GT3 R. Alex Malykhin, Joel Sturm, and Klaus Bachler overcame early challenges, with Malykhin making a decisive pass on the pole-sitting #85 Lamborghini Huracan GT3 EVO2 to set the stage for victory.

Heart of Racing Team’s late drive-through penalty thwarted their bid for a win, despite a strong showing by Alex Riberas, Ian James, and Daniel Mancinelli. United Autosports celebrated its first podium of the season, with the #95 McLaren 720S GT3 Evo finishing third.

The day saw setbacks for the Iron Dames, with their #85 Huracan retiring due to a major fluid leak, and the #82 TF Sport Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R, which faced an early exit.

Looking Ahead

Next on the WEC calendar is the Lone Star Le Mans at Circuit of The Americas, scheduled for September 1st. Teams will regroup and strategize as they aim to leave their mark on the 2024 season.