The first season of the WEC hypercar era comes to an end with the Bahrain double event. In the first place, drivers and teams will face a 6-hour race, an appointment that can begin to define the resolution of the World Endurance title. A battle that seems reserved for the drivers of the two Toyota GR010 Hybrid with which the Japanese firm competes, even if the mathematics does not leave the Alpine LMP1 out of the fight. In this aspect, # 7 Toyota drivers have a nine-point advantage over the # 8 Toyota crew before 6 o’clock in Bahrain.
The duel in the desert between the two Toyota GR010 Hybrid will be led in the case of # 7 by Mike conway: «We are pushing to win the championship in Bahrain, but it will not be easy. We have two events, with 14 hours of racing to end the season. So far we have had a great season, especially with the victory in the 24 Hours of Le Mans. For us, it would be great to finish this triumph with the championship. Bahrain has been a strong circuit for me over the years. It is among my favorites. Let’s see what this year brings».
Kamui kobayashi He will also be at the wheel of the Toyota # 7 with the great objective of defending the leadership to win the WEC along with his teammates: «Ending the year with two races at the same circuit is new for the WEC and two intense weeks await us. This is the first time we have driven the Toyota GR010 Hybrid on this track, so we have to be very focused on improving the balance of the car to be in good shape for both races. We are going to work very hard to try to win the World Championship again.».
Complete the lineup of the Toyota # 7 the Argentine Jose Maria ‘Pechito’ Lopez: «It will be rare and special to fight for the title in consecutive races on the same circuit, especially after Le Mans. The most important thing for the team is to secure the title with a good first race and then we will see which drivers win the championship. The crew that succeeds will have earned it. The # 8 Toyota drivers have proven to be very strongSo we are going to fight on the track, but always with great respect for each other ».
Sébastien Buemi leads the Toyota # 8 effort in Bahrain: «I really want to spend a long time in Bahrain with these two races. We have prepared ourselves in the simulator and I think we are going to have a close title fight with the Toyota # 7 and the Alpine. We will have to adapt to different conditions because the behavior of the car changes a lot. The team has worked hard since Le Mans to understand some issues and improve. We are going to do our best to fight for the championship until the end.
For its part, Kazuki nakajima He assured: «I am sure that we will have another very close fight in Bahrain to close the season. Our car has been very close to # 7 throughout the season and it will be the same in the last two races. The differences have been very small, so you have to look for every small improvement in the balance of the car. We look forward to this challenge. Bahrain is a great setting and it will be interesting to see how the track conditions change between day and night and between the two events. We must be prepared for it».
Finally, Brendon hartley has added: “Looking forward to getting back behind the wheel of the Toyota GR010 Hybrid after a long break. It seems like a long time since Le Mans, but the truth is that we go to Bahrain in the same spirit. The objective is to fight for the drivers’ title, since the gap with the drivers of the Toyota # 7 is very narrow. Bahrain tends to give good races and it is a beautiful circuit. We have prepared ourselves in the simulator, but there is nothing that beats the real sensations of driving our hypercar on the track ».