Toyota wins, Porsche claims driver's title in Bahrain

Text & Images: Rick Kiewiet

The FIA World Endurance Championship season reached its climax at yesterday's Bapco Energies 8 Hours of Bahrain. Toyota and Porsche both walked away with trophies in a race packed with action and strategic depth, with late-race drama determining the outcome of the Hypercar class titles.

Hypercar

Toyota Gazoo Racing’s #8 GR010 HYBRID, driven by Sébastien Buemi, Brendon Hartley, and Ryo Hirakawa, clinched the FIA Hypercar World Endurance Manufacturers’ Championship. Buemi’s final stint proved decisive, as he fought his way to the front with just 40 minutes to go, passing the #5 Porsche for the win. Buemi, who earlier had been spun out of the lead by the #82 TF Sport Corvette, found himself in a sprint to the finish in the closing stages.

After leapfrogging the #51 Ferrari, Buemi put the pole-sitting Toyota in second, just behind Matt Campbell in the Porsche. Buemi’s fresher tires proved pivotal as he chased down Campbell, executing a swift overtake and securing the first Hypercar victory from pole this season. The win secured Toyota’s fourth consecutive manufacturers' title, adding a new milestone to their WEC legacy.

While Toyota celebrated the Manufacturers' crown, the Drivers' Championship went to Porsche’s #6 crew. Kévin Estre, André Lotterer, and Laurens Vanthoor capped off their season with the Hypercar World Endurance Drivers' Championship, despite a difficult race that saw them finish outside the top ten. Contact and penalties hampered their progress, but the trio’s consistent success earlier in the season proved enough to secure their title as rivals faltered.

The #7 Toyota’s fuel pump issue and the #50 Ferrari’s puncture removed these title contenders from the podium, clearing the way for the Porsche crew to clinch the championship.

Ferrari, although starting strong, faced late-race setbacks. The #51 AF Corse, which had led for much of the event, ultimately missed the podium after an extended pit stop, while the #50 suffered damage from contact with Alpine. Peugeot’s #93, on the other hand, capitalized on Ferrari’s woes, securing a surprise podium after disqualification of the #51 for exceeding the tire allocation—their best finish of the season.

LMGT3

In the LMGT3 category, Vista AF Corse’s #55 Ferrari took victory, with Alessio Rovera putting on a tire management masterclass to fend off TF Sport’s Corvettes in the closing hour. Rovera, along with teammates François Heriau and Simon Mann, benefited from a bold strategic call to minimize their pit stops. The Italian outfit’s second win in a row came after a fierce duel, where Rovera kept his composure to lead the #81 Corvette over the finish line.

Corvette’s #81 car, driven by Charlie Eastwood, Rui Andrade, and Tom van Rompuy, managed to hold off their #82 teammates for second, despite the latter’s early setback due to a penalty after contact with Buemi.