Toyota Didn’t Expect to Clinch Manufacturers’ Title at Fuji

Photo: MPS Agency

Toyota Gazoo Racing was not expecting to lock up the manufacturers’ world championship in Sunday’s 6 Hours of Fuji according to the team’s technical director Pascal Vasselon, who believed the title was “not an option” entering the weekend.

The Japanese manufacturer clinched its fifth consecutive FIA World Endurance Championship crown after a 1-2 finish on home soil, led by the No. 7 Toyota GR010 Hybrid of Kamui Kobayashi, Jose Maria Lopez and Mike Conway.

It came amid a race that saw Ferrari AF Corse, its nearest championship rival, not reach the podium for the first time this season, with the pair of Ferrari 499Ps finishing fourth and fifth.

“We were not expecting it, because clearly we were expecting to fight with Ferrari,” Vasselon told reporters. “We were expecting Ferrari to be on the podium, somehow.

“The title was not even an option when we came here. But Ferrari have been in trouble and Porsche have been super good.

“In the end, we realized that if it was stabilized, we were champions.”

Toyota claimed its fifth victory of the season, with the 24 Hours of Le Mans — won by Ferrari — being the only race it had lost so far this year.

“Nothing will compensate [for] Le Mans but it was the next target, the next box to tick,” Vasselon said. “And to do it against Porsche, against Ferrari – quite high-profile opposition.”

The title clinch came in a race that saw Porsche Penske Motorsport lead for nearly two-thirds of the enduro, in the team’s strongest showing yet in WEC competition.

Kobayashi, who also acts as the team principal, took over the lead from the sister No. 8 car of Brendon Hartley with 1 hour and 38 minutes to go, en route to the win, once getting by the No. 6 Porsche 963 earlier in the running.

“To finish 1-2 was our target and it was not easy but our pace was brilliant,” Kobayashi said. “Thanks to the team for their hard work, and thanks to Toyota and our partners for being part of this.

“It was a difficult race, especially after the start when we lost some positions. It is very challenging to overtake Hypercars here and lapping the other cars was also hard, but we handled the situation well, we did what we needed to do, and the team really helped the drivers.

“We’re really happy to win the title at our home race. It has been a big challenge this season, but we had a fast car and a strong team, we didn’t make mistakes and the drivers did a great job.

“Our first target was to win the manufacturers’ title and we will celebrate this.

“The next step is the drivers’ title, our car is a bit behind in the points standings, but we will work hard and do everything we can in Bahrain.”

Lopez: “Really Difficult” to Pass Porsche

The No. 7 Toyota found itself behind the then race-leading No. 6 Porsche of Kevin Estre for more than 90 minutes, an experience that was “a bit frustrating” according to Lopez.

“When I had the car I knew we had good pace so I fought my way back close to the Porsche,” he explained. “But then it was really difficult to pass and I did nearly a full stint behind him.

“My front tires gave up at the end and I lost a position [to] Ryo [Hirakawa].

“I had a very good pace and did the fastest lap. I was catching quickly. Then as soon as I got behind him, I lost the front [tires]. I think the tires were gone in ten or 15 laps to the end of the second stint.

“The places I was quicker there was no place to pass. The places I could pass I wasn’t quick enough. It was a bit frustrating but I gave it a fight, I tried to stay as long as possible there.

“I was just trying to give Kamui the chance to be close enough to fight back for the win.”

Daniel Lloyd contributed to this report

John Dagys

John Dagys is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Sportscar365. Dagys spent eight years as a motorsports correspondent for FOXSports.com and SPEED Channel and has contributed to numerous other motorsports publications worldwide. Contact John