Toyota scores double at Fuji

As expected, there was no struggle at the 6 Hours of Fuji. The Sucess Handicap handicaps it more than the sister car, the Toyota #7 was never able to play at the front of the race with #8. Second at Silverstone, the trio Buemi-Hartley-Nakajima takes an easy victory in Fuji ahead of their stablemates Lopez-Kobayashi-Conway.

After creating an illusion at the start of the race by keeping the #050 TS7 Hybrid behind it for a few laps, the #13 Rebellion R1-Gibson finished third. Nato, Senna and Menezes at least have the satisfaction of finishing ahead of the two Ginetta G60 LT P1-AERs. Between penalties – including a 6′ stop&go for the No. 6 – technical glitches and punctures, the race for Team LNT was an ordeal. The No. 6 of Robertson-Smith-Simpson finally finished 10th behind six LM P2s and two places ahead of the No. 5 of Orudzhev-Hanley-Ghiotto.

En LM P2, huge performance from Racing Team Nederland and the breathtaking Nyck de Vries, who teams up with Giedo van der Garde and Frits van Eerd. Already astonishing at Silverstone, the Dutch team incubated by TDS Racing offers itself its first victory in WEC ! The podium is completed by the two Oreca 07s operated by Jota Sport, the advantage going to the no. 38 of Davidson-Gonzalez-Felix da Costa, the no. 37 of Tung-Aubry-Stevens therefore finishing third.

Due in particular to a collision with a Ferrari having sentenced him to a stop of several minutes, theAlpine A470 n°36 from Ragues-negrao-Laurent must be content with a modest seventh place. If it wants to retain its title, the French team will have to react from Shanghai (November 15).

En GTE Pro, Ferrari once again lacked success and lost its chances of victory during a Full Course Yellow just after the two 488 GTEs passed through the pit box. Finally, after a well-run race, victory went to theAston Martin No. 95 by Sorensen-Thiim.

The second Vantage AMR, the #97 of Lynn-Martin is third, the Porsche 911 RSR n°92 from Christensen-Estre having managed to get between the two British. The two 488 GTEs are therefore fourth and fifth ahead of the No. 911 91 RSR of Bruni-Lietz which started from pole position but which notably received a drive-through for non-compliance with track limits.

TF Sport scores its first success in GTE Am after starting from pole position. The No. 90 Yoluc-Adam-Eastwood Aston Martin precedes the No. 83 Ferrari of Collard-Perrodo-Nielsen at the finish, although weighed down after its triumph at Silverstone! A good performance therefore for the Franco-Danish trio. The podium is completed by the No. 911 Porsche 57 RSR fielded by Team Project 1 for Fraga-Bleekemolen-Keating.

Find it in AUTO issue 2237hebdo, on sale Monday evening digitally and Wednesday on newsstands, analysis of the WEC in Fuji by our special correspondent.