Toyota Racing Dominates 6 Hours of Barcelona, Secures FIA WEC Championship
In a commanding performance, Toyota Racing’s TR010s secured a decisive 1-2 finish at the inaugural 6 Hours of Barcelona, reaffirming their dominance in the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC). The victory marks Toyota’s eighth Manufacturers’ World Championship title in just 14 seasons.
Sébastien Buemi, Brendon Hartley, and Ryo Hirakawa in the #8 car took the win after leading from the opening lap in variable conditions, while teammates Kamui Kobayashi, Nyck de Vries, and Mike Conway in the #7 finished closely behind. The #8 crew celebrated their third win of the season and Buemi’s 100th race, making the occasion particularly memorable.
“It’s an amazing day,” Buemi stated. “Last year we suffered a lot, but we came back as a team with an upgraded car.” Hartley expressed team-focused sentiments, saying, “Today is about the team. It’s a great feeling right now.”
Ferrari AF Corse’s #50 499P claimed third place, thanks to a strong drive from Miguel Molina, Nicklas Nielsen, and Antonio Fuoco who started eighth. Despite their efforts, they finished 39 seconds behind the winning Toyota.
The privateer #38 Hertz Team JOTA Cadillac finished fourth after a late strategy call. Ferrari’s other entry, the #51, struggled with technical issues throughout the race, ultimately finishing two laps down in 15th.
Genesis Magma Racing began the race promisingly with their GMR-001s but faced significant setbacks. The #19 car, in particular, dropped positions quickly after early spins, resulting in an 11th-place finish, while the #17 car ended 16th.
BMW’s campaign concluded prematurely, with the #15 crew finishing seventh and the sister car failing to score points due to strategic missteps.
In LMGT3, the #92 The Bend Manthey Porsche claimed victory, led by Yasser Shahin, Riccardo Pera, and Richard Lietz. This win marks a record-setting seventh different crew to claim a win in seven races this season.
Marvin Kirchhöfer finished second in the Garage 59 McLaren, while the #69 WRT BMW took third. The drivers’ championship remains tightly contested with Jonny Edgar of TF Sport leading but still facing challenges in the upcoming races.
As the series now turns its focus to the season finale at Monza, Toyota and its drivers are positioned favorably, while other brands like Ferrari and BMW will regroup following tough outings in Barcelona.
