Toyota scores a double in Bahrain, Aston Martin wins in GTE Pro

After Rebellion Racing's victory at the 4 Hours of Shanghai, Toyota Gazoo Racing was quick to react in Bahrain, in a race where the competition for the two TS050 Hybrids was quickly slowed down in its progress.

The Japanese brand signs the double with the n°7 of Mike conway - Kamui Kobayashi – José Maria Lopez, winners ahead of the n°8 of Sébastien Buemi - Kazuki Nakajima - Brendon Hartley, relegated more than one round.

Less penalized by the Success Handicap, the n°7 also benefited from the setbacks of the n°8 from the second corner, collateral and very unfortunate victim of the collision between the Ginetta G60-LT-P1 n°5 – Team LNT of Charlie Robertson and the Rebellion R13 n°1 – Rebellion Racing of Bruno Senna.

After losing control of his LM P1, Robertson hit Senna, the two LM P1s spinning, Buemi unable to avoid the incident. From then on, the No. 7 Toyota, led from the start by Mike Conway, will work to methodically widen the gap so as to no longer be caught.

The podium is completed by the R13 n°1, despite a gearbox problem which cost the Swiss prototype more than 5′ in the stands. The problems of the two Ginettas, including the trackside stop of the No. 5, made the task of the No. 1 easier in its climb to 3rd place.

In the championship, the Lopez – Conway – Kobayashi trio takes the lead in the ranking, with this event having a higher coefficient (1,5), i.e. 38 points for the winner and 27 for second.

Duel truncated in GTE Pro

It was in GTE Pro that the suspense for victory lasted until the end. If Porsche was once threatened Ferrari, the two 911 RSRs disappeared before mid-race in the fight for first place, following technical problems (shock absorber) for the n°92 of Kévin Estre – Michael Christensen and a puncture for the n°91 of Gianmaria Bruni –Richard Lietz.

So it’s a Ferrari clash – Aston Martin which held in suspense, the 488 n°71 – AF Corse of Miguel Molina and Davide Rigon standing out with the Vantage n°95 of Marco Sorensen and Nicki Thiim.

We think the two cars will fight to the end, but a very harsh penalty for wheel spin on the restart after the last pit stop for the No. 71 kills any final confrontation.

Disaster for the no.71 @FerrariRaces! Stop and go penalty for spinning the wheels at the end of the pit stop.#WEC #8HBahrain pic.twitter.com/pdd0Q2M2Kv

— WEC  (@FIAWEC) December 14, 2019

.@FIAWEC Stop&go for the #71 for spinning the tires restarting from the pit. #8HBahrain

— Ferrari Races (@FerrariRaces) December 14, 2019

Marco Sorensen and Nicki Thiim therefore won ahead of Miguel Molina and Davide Rigon while the fight for third place was also intense between the #488 Ferrari 51 – AF Corse of James Calado and Alessandro Pier Guidi and the Aston Martin Vantage n°97 by Maxime Martin and Alex Lynn.

Here again it is the Aston Martin which emerges victorious from its duel, the n°51 having had to surrender 3rd position to the English GT 20′ from the finish for having overtaken outside the limits of the track.

United first!

In LM P2, United Autosports pocketed its first success in the WEC, with the No. 07 Oreca 22 of Filipe Albuquerque – Phil Hanson – Paul di Resta, sovereign during the eight hours of racing. The trio won with a clear lead of just over 20″ over the #07 Oreca 38 – JOTA Sport of Antonio Felix da Costa – Roberto Gonzalez – Anthony Davidson.

Jackie Chan DC Racing completes the podium with the #07 Oreca 37 of Gabriel Aubry – Ho Pin Tung – Will Stevens. G-Drive Racing and Signatech Alpine enter the top 5.

Victory in GTE Am for the #911 Porsche 57 RSR – Team Project1 of Larry ten Voorde – Jeroen Bleekemolen – Ben Keating ahead of the #98 Aston Martin Vantage of Ross Gunn – Paul Dalla Lana – Darren Turner.

The #911 Porsche 86 RSR – Gulf Racing of Andrew Watson – Michael Wainwright – Ben Barker completed the category podium ahead of the #488 Ferrari 83 – AF Corse of François Perrodo – Emmanuel Collard – Nicklas Nielsen.

Discover the full report and analysis of the 8 Hours of Bahrain, produced by our special correspondent on the Sakhir track, in AUTO issue 2247hebdo, available from Monday evening in digital version and from this Wednesday on newsstands.