8 Hours of Bahrain: Preview Title showdown beckons for TOYOTA GAZOO Racing

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The team heads into the season’s eighth and final race with a mission to retain its manufacturers’ World Championship against strong competition from Ferrari and Porsche. In the seven races so far, TOYOTA GAZOO Racing has earned two victories, and a win in Bahrain will guarantee the title for the sixth successive season.

Kamui Kobayashi and Nyck de Vries retain a slim chance of the drivers’ title but to do so, they must win the race, alongside #7 GR010 HYBRID team-mate Mike Conway, and hope the #6 Porsche crew fail to score points. Last year’s Bahrain winners, and outgoing drivers’ World Champions, Sébastien Buemi, Brendon Hartley and Ryo Hirakawa will fight for their second win of the season in their #8 GR010 HYBRID in Saturday’s race, which begins in daylight and ends after sunset.

TOYOTA GAZOO Racing has a formidable record at the Bahrain International Circuit, having won the last seven WEC races there, including six consecutive one-two finishes. In total it has won nine of its 12 races in the island kingdom, earning six pole positions and five front-row lock-outs.

The challenge is tougher than ever this year against an 18-strong Hypercar field including title rivals Ferrari and Porsche, who are both are in the fight for the drivers’ and manufacturers’ crowns. Alpine, BMW, Cadillac and Peugeot showed speed at Fuji Speedway and are expected to join an exciting battle for honours.

The 5.412km Bahrain International Circuit is the traditional venue for WEC’s season finale, having hosted the last race in eight of the 11 seasons since WEC’s return in 2012. Its 15-turn lay-out features a mix of high-speed and slower corners and is renowned for being abrasive with high grip levels, creating a particular challenge in terms of tyre management.

Practice for the Saturday race begins on Thursday with two 90-minute sessions, one in daylight and the other under lights, and concludes on Friday. The grid will be decided during the qualifying and Hyperpole sessions, starting at 4.40pm local time (2.40pm CET) on Friday, while the 8 Hours of Bahrain starts at 2pm (midday CET) on Saturday.

The track action continues on Sunday with the traditional rookie test, when Esteban Masson will drive a GR010 HYBRID for the first time as part of the team’s commitment to giving opportunities to young, upcoming drivers. The 20-year-old Frenchman has impressed this season driving the #87 Lexus RC F LMGT3 entered by the AKKODIS ASP Team in WEC’s LMGT3 category. If TOYOTA GAZOO Racing wins the manufacturers’ title, 21-year-old European Le Mans Series racer Reshad de Gerus will also test a GR010 HYBRID as the WEC-nominated rookie.

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