By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
The Auto Magazine
  • Home
  • Auto Shows
    Auto ShowsShow More
    Maserati enthrals at FuoriConcorso with GT2 Stradale and MCXtrema
    May 14, 2025
    Leapmotor presents its range at Automobile Barcelona, Spain
    May 14, 2025
    Alfa Romeo sporting glory dominates “Fuori Concorso”
    May 13, 2025
    Market Art Fair Stockholm and BMW Sweden present Gregor Hildebrandt as artist for BMW Art Commission 2025
    May 13, 2025
    Driving Trade Forward: AfCFTA, AGOA,BRICS and the Tariffs – All On The Menu At Automechanika CEO Breakfast
    May 9, 2025
  • Bikes
    BikesShow More
    Desmo450 MX: Production of the first Ducati Motocross bike begins
    May 28, 2025
    25YM Honda NC750X
    May 13, 2025
    BMW Motorrad presents the new BMW R 1300 RS
    May 2, 2025
    BMW Motorrad presents the new BMW R 1300 RT
    April 30, 2025
    Honda NC750X Named Winner in 2025 Red Dot Design Award
    April 10, 2025
  • News
    NewsShow More
    Toyota Mobility Foundation announces five finalists for $3 million Venice Sustainable Cities Challenge
    May 29, 2025
    Mazda Production and Sales Results for April 2025
    May 29, 2025
    Nissan production, sales, and exports for April 2025
    May 29, 2025
    Honda Production, Sales and Export Results for April, 2025
    May 29, 2025
    Škoda Auto marks 55 years since production of the Skopak began in Pakistan
    May 29, 2025
  • Concepts
    ConceptsShow More
    FIAT unveils the manifesto Grande Panda 4×4
    May 20, 2025
    Renault 4 Savane 4×4 Concept makes its global debut at Roland-Garros 2025
    May 16, 2025
    Hyundai Motor and Plus Unveil Concept for Autonomous Hydrogen Freight Ecosystem at ACT Expo 202
    May 2, 2025
    Hyundai Motor Unveils the new IONIQ 6 and IONIQ 6 N Line
    April 5, 2025
    Kia and LG Electronics Partner to Showcase New PBV Concepts for Work and Play
    April 4, 2025
  • Interviews
    InterviewsShow More
    Kosmas “Dudie” Mamaloukos – The Formidable Racing Talent
    May 15, 2025
    Hi-Range Safari City
    Hi-Range Safari City – The Premier outfitter for 4×4 customization
    May 15, 2025
    BEHIND THE SCENES: ARCHIE RUTHERFORD ON WHAT IT TAKES TO BRING THE W2RC TO SOUTH AFRICA
    May 9, 2025
    Europe and China’s automotive future in a shifting global order
    May 5, 2025
    Sourcing Guide Right-Hand Drive American SUVs and Pickup Trucks in Africa
    April 29, 2025
  • EVs
    EVsShow More
    SEAT S.A. moves towards electric car production in Martorell
    May 29, 2025
    Polestar 3 wins Best EV SUV and Luxury Car of the Year awards
    May 29, 2025
    All-New Nissan MICRA EV debuts ahead of European launch
    May 28, 2025
    BMW Group and Solid Power are testing all-solid-state battery cells in a BMW i7
    May 20, 2025
    Toyota Debuts Stylish, Powerful 2026 C-HR Battery Electric Vehicle
    May 18, 2025
  • Motosport
    MotosportShow More
    43rd Rally Due Valli: Lancia Ignites Verona with a High-Tension Challenge
    May 29, 2025
    Lærke Rønn, Alexia Danielsson, Rasmus Vendelbo, Porsche Sprint Challenge Scandinavia, 2025, Porsche AG
    The schoolgirl who’s just won her debut GT race
    May 28, 2025
    Porsche with new qualifying record and ongoing points streak ahead of China
    May 28, 2025
    Nissan Formula E Team looking to reinforce championship lead in Shanghai
    May 28, 2025
    Opel Mokka GSE Rally: A New Star in Electric Rallying
    May 28, 2025
  • Trucks & Buses
    Trucks & BusesShow More
    MAN development team for autonomous driving is ‘Engineering Team of the Year’
    May 29, 2025
    Scania to start deliveries of new electric buses to northern Sweden
    May 29, 2025
    From left to right: Jens Böther, Regional Council; Nikolas Wenzel, Managing Director of MOIN; Claudia Kalisch, Mayor of Lüneburg; Alex Meier, Depot Manager; Nils Richert, Daimler Buses
    Daimler Buses builds a completely new electric bus depot for a customer for the first time
    May 28, 2025
    600 km range and superfast charging – meet Volvo’s new electric truck
    May 20, 2025
    Vandijck Transport tests the eActros 600 on a long-haul route of over 1,500 kilometers
    Vandijck Transport tests the eActros 600 
    May 18, 2025
  • Reviews
    ReviewsShow More
    GR Supra pushes performance limits with A90 Final Edition and Lightweight EVO
    May 28, 2025
    The new BMW M2 CS
    May 28, 2025
    Defender upgraded: The unstoppable 4×4 is now even more distinctive 
    May 28, 2025
    From vision to Veyron: the evolution of a Bugatti icon
    May 17, 2025
    The new Mercedes-Maybach SL Monogram Series
    May 13, 2025
  • Tech
    TechShow More
    VNC Automotive Partners with P3 to Enhance the SPARQ OS Platform
    May 29, 2025
    Artificial intelligence: Audi boosts production efficiency
    May 28, 2025
    Greater efficiency and productivity with artificial intelligence – generative AI in BMW Group Purchasing
    May 19, 2025
    Aston Martin debuts Apple CarPlay Ultra for iPhone users
    May 16, 2025
    Mercedes-Benz customers in Germany can now purchase and pay for e-Vignettes directly from their vehicle
    May 15, 2025
Hot News
SEAT S.A. moves towards electric car production in Martorell
Toyota Mobility Foundation announces five finalists for $3 million Venice Sustainable Cities Challenge
43rd Rally Due Valli: Lancia Ignites Verona with a High-Tension Challenge
Polestar 3 wins Best EV SUV and Luxury Car of the Year awards
Mazda Production and Sales Results for April 2025
Latest News

SIXT and Stellantis Reach Agreement for the Purchase of Up to 250,000 Vehicles

Latest News

A glimpse into SEAT S.A.’s electrification in 2024

Latest News

INFINITI USA reports first quarter 2025 sales

Latest News

INEOS AUTOMOTIVE ADDS MARCEL GUAY AS HEAD OF CANADA

Font ResizerAa
The Auto MagazineThe Auto Magazine
  • Home
  • Auto Shows
  • Bikes
  • News
  • Concepts
  • Interviews
  • EVs
  • Motosport
  • Trucks & Buses
  • Reviews
  • Tech
Search
  • Home
  • Auto Shows
  • Bikes
  • News
  • Concepts
  • Interviews
  • EVs
  • Motosport
  • Trucks & Buses
  • Reviews
  • Tech
Follow US
Crafted by Intellegere Media. © 2024 The Auto Magazine. All rights reserved.
Motosport

TOYOTA GAZOO Racing  fights back for double points finish

Itumeleng Garebatshabe
Last updated: May 12, 2025 10:46
By Itumeleng Garebatshabe
145 Views
9 Min Read
Share
9 Min Read
SHARE

TOYOTA GAZOO Racing battled back strongly to earn a double points finish from an incident-packed and exciting 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps, the third round of the 2025 FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC).

Contents
Kamui Kobayashi (Team Principal and driver, car #7):Mike Conway (Driver, car #7):Nyck de Vries (Driver, car #7):Sébastien Buemi (Driver, car #8):Brendon Hartley (Driver, car #8):Ryo Hirakawa (Driver, car #8):6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps:

The reigning World Champions fought valiantly to recover from a disappointing qualifying and score valuable points after an intense team effort featuring determined driving and smart strategy in the final race before next month’s Le Mans 24 Hours, which it aims to win for a sixth time. 

Sébastien Buemi, Brendon Hartley and Ryo Hirakawa finished in a hard-fought fourth place in their #8 GR010 HYBRID after choosing an aggressive fuel strategy, while Mike Conway, Kamui Kobayashi and Nyck de Vries were seventh in their #7 GR010 HYBRID. 

Cheered on by a weekend crowd of 98,874, including employees from the team’s Cologne base and colleagues from Toyota Motor Europe, an epic battle began on a warm and sunny afternoon. The team’s difficult qualifying meant Brendon started 15th and Mike 16th, but both GR010 HYBRIDs fought hard from the green light to gain positions. 

- Advertisement -
Ad image

An exciting opening stint set the tone for the race, with wheel-to-wheel racing throughout the 18-strong Hypercar field. TOYOTA GAZOO Racing started its fightback and precise, aggressive driving helped both GR010 HYBRIDs move closer to the top 10, although Mike’s progress was hindered by a front-right puncture after 23 minutes. 

A virtual safety car late in the second hour allowed Mike to make his next pit stop while losing less time than a stop in green flag conditions, lifting the #7 into the top 10. At the next pit stops, midway through the third hour, Kamui took over the car in eighth while Ryo took the wheel of the 11th-placed #8. 

In a thrilling duel, Kamui fought past the #5 Porsche for seventh but had to cede the place after drifting off track. He repeated the move successfully just a lap later, before a safety car at half distance gave a further opportunity to gain positions. When the field pitted together, a faster stop – thanks to changing only two tyres – allowed Kamui to leapfrog several rivals and sit third at the restart. 

When racing resumed, Kamui was under intense pressure from the Ferraris. A locked brake into the Bus Stop chicane saw the #7 run wide and, with all cars running so close together, dropped down to seventh. 

Yet another safety car late in the fourth hour prompted both cars to pit for a driver change. Nyck took over the #7 in fourth, while Sébastien strapped into the ninth-placed #8. In the process, Sébastien equalled the record for participating in the most WEC races, 89 since his debut at Le Mans 2012. 

Entering the final two hours, differing fuel strategies emerged. The #8 car opted for a bold plan by cutting short its penultimate stint to move out of traffic and allow Sébastien to set faster lap times. As rivals made their regular stops, Sébastien even moved into the lead until his final fuel stop, with 45 minutes remaining. 

The #8 crept back up the order as the other Hypercars made their last stops. As the clock ticked down, Sébastien progressed to fourth while Nyck also gained positions and crossed the line in seventh for a result which maintains the team’s 100% points-scoring start to the season. 

The next round is the highlight of the endurance racing season, the 24 Hours of Le Mans on 14-15 June, when TOYOTA GAZOO Racing will challenge for its sixth victory at La Sarthe.

Kamui Kobayashi (Team Principal and driver, car #7):

“I think fourth and seventh was pretty much the best we could do. Obviously, we split the strategies with the two cars which meant we dropped a position on car #7, but car #8 did an amazing job to finish fourth. All the team, car crews and drivers did a fantastic job this week, so I want to thank them for this big effort. Now it’s time for the big race at Le Mans, so let’s work together to find the performance we need. We are looking forward to challenge to win Le Mans again.”

Mike Conway (Driver, car #7):

“This race was changing all the time, with lots of incidents. We had the puncture in my stint which forced us to change strategy, then we got a bit lucky with the virtual safety soon after. At the end, car #8 went for an alternative fuel strategy and it worked, so well done to them. Together we scored some decent World Championship points. We didn’t have the pace of the front runners, but the result was better than expected, even if we are always aiming for more.”

Nyck de Vries (Driver, car #7):

“A tough race event for us a team, nevertheless I think we did well to bring the cars home in fourth and seventh. I am very sure this was the maximum we could achieve considering the performance we had this week. It was a big challenge, but we fought very hard, did our best and took our opportunities. As a team, we maximised the package we had this weekend.”

Sébastien Buemi (Driver, car #8):

“I am happy with this result considering everything. We did a great job to offset our fuel strategy and make up positions. Everyone in the team performed to the maximum so I don’t think we could do any more. We had good reliability, clever strategy and made no mistakes despite the traffic. So, I think it was a great race performance, even if we really wanted to finish higher.”

Brendon Hartley (Driver, car #8):

“It was an action-packed race. We started more or less from the back of the grid with both cars, and we didn’t have the pace of our competitors, but we had amazing teamwork. With a good strategy, we kept our belief and at some point, we thought maybe a podium was possible. But honestly, fourth was absolutely the best we could realistically achieve. We never dreamt of that after qualifying. We just put the perfect race together between mechanics, engineers and drivers. Although we are impatient to spray podium champagne soon, it was great to collect these points.”

Ryo Hirakawa (Driver, car #8):

“It was a tough race, but I am happy with the result. As expected, there were plenty of incidents but we kept it clean and stayed patient. It was not easy at times, but we did our best with strategy and made the right decisions. It was great to see how hard the team worked all week here, and their big effort in the race despite our difficult qualifying. The next race is Le Mans, and I think we are in good shape so let’s keep pushing.”

6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps:

1st#51 Ferrari AF Corse (Pier Guidi/Calado/Giovinazzi)150 laps
2nd#50 Ferrari AF Corse (Fuoco/Molina/Nielsen)+4.229secs​​
3rd#36 Alpine Endurance Team (Gounon/Makowiecki/Schumacher)+5.148secs
4th#8 TOYOTA GAZOO Racing+32.760secs
5th#12 Cadillac Team JOTA (Lynn/Nato/Stevens)​​+35.966secs
6th#38 Cadillac Team JOTA (Bamber/Bourdais/Button)+45.357secs
7th#7 TOYOTA GAZOO Racing+46.022secs
TAGGED:2025 FIA World Endurance Championship6 Hours of Spa-FrancorchampsTOYOTA GAZOO Racing

Sign Up For Daily Newsletter

Stay Updated! Get the latest breaking news delivered straight to your inbox.

By signing up, you agree to our Terms of Use and acknowledge the data practices in our Privacy Policy. You may unsubscribe at any time.
Share This Article
Facebook Whatsapp Whatsapp LinkedIn VKontakte Telegram Email Copy Link Print
Share
ByItumeleng Garebatshabe
Editor
Follow:
Itumeleng is the Managing Editor of The Auto Magazine. He is a tech and car enthusiast

Follow US

FacebookLike
XFollow
InstagramFollow
YoutubeSubscribe
TiktokFollow
TelegramFollow
Google NewsFollow
LinkedInFollow
- Advertisement -
Ad imageAd image

You Might Also Like

Motosport

Portimao victory for TOYOTA GAZOO Racing

By Itumeleng Garebatshabe
April 17, 2023
Motosport

New Hilux strengthens TOYOTA GAZOO Racing for 2024 Dakar and W2RC season

By Itumeleng Garebatshabe
December 14, 2023
Motosport

Victory on final stage of Rally-Raid Portugal for Lucas and Armand

By Itumeleng Garebatshabe
April 9, 2024
Motosport

Kogure and Yamamoto begin their Rally2 challenge

By Itumeleng Garebatshabe
February 6, 2024
Motosport

W2RC: Consecutive titles for TGR as Rally of Morocco draws to a close

By Itumeleng Garebatshabe
October 19, 2023
Reviews

TGR Launches Special-edition Supra “A90 Final Edition” in Japan

By Itumeleng Garebatshabe
March 23, 2025

The Auto Magazine

  • Advertise
  • About Us
  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Cookie Policy
  • Bikes
  • Electric Vehicles
  • Trucks & Buses
  • Auto Shows
  • Latest News
  • Motosport

Made by Intellegere Media. All rights reserved. 2023

Don't not sell my personal information
Join Us!
Subscribe to our newsletter and never miss our latest news, podcasts etc.

Zero spam, Unsubscribe at any time.
adbanner