History is on the side of Toyota Gazoo Racing as they enter this weekend’s 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps in search of an unprecedented eighth consecutive victory at the Belgian circuit.
The 19-strong Hypercar field sees New Zealanders Earl Bamber and Brendon Hartley return to action, both searching for their first 2024 World Endurance Championship podiums.
It’s the first time in Hartley’s five years with Toyota that he has failed to finish on the podium in at least one of the opening two rounds.
Hartley, along with #8 GR010 Hybrid teammates Ryo Hirakawa and Sebastien Buemi, were fifth in last month’s 6 Hours of Imola, which was won by their #7 sister car driven by Kamui Kobayashi, Nyck De Vries, and Mike Conway.
Kobayashi and Conway are looking for a hat-trick of victories at Spa, while Hartley last won there in 2021 with Buemi and Kazuki Nakajima.
“I always look forward to driving at Spa,” said the Kiwi. “It’s a place I really enjoy because it’s an old-school track, with lots of changes of elevation, some high-speed sections, plus it’s very scenic and spectacular driving through the forest.
“The weather is often a factor too which can make for some unpredictable races. At Imola, our car was in the fight for a podium but we didn’t quite make it, so this is clearly the target in Spa when we hope to prepare ourselves for Le Mans with a strong result.”
A win for the number eight will see Buemi become the most successful driver in the event’s history with six. He is currently tied with Belgian Jacky Ickx on five.
“Spa is my favourite circuit because it is such a special place, with all the history, as well as being a challenging, traditional-style track with fast corners, not much run-off or room for errors,” said the Swiss driver.
“You never get bored of driving there, particularly in a prototype, and I’ve been fortunate enough to win there five times before, so I have great memories.
“The competition will be more intense than ever, so it will not be easy, but we need to get the most from our car and from the opportunities which come our way.”
Nineteen hypercars will compete in the final event before June’s 24 Hours of Le Mans, including Chip Ganassi’s Cadillac Racing entry, where Bamber partners Alex Lynn.
For Toyota, Spa holds extra significance as one of its two home races alongside Fuji Speedway. Their technical centre is located just 120km away in Cologne.
“Spa is also a highlight of our WEC season because it’s our second home race, after Fuji Speedway,” said Team Principal and car #7 driver Kobayashi.
“We always appreciate that our team members from Cologne come along to encourage us, and this year, we have even more support because we also welcome colleagues from Toyota’s European headquarters to Spa.
“As well as our colleagues, we’re looking forward to the support of the fans, who will generate a fantastic atmosphere as usual. Even though we didn’t have the fastest car at Imola, we executed a perfect race and managed to win, and we will work hard for a similar performance at Spa.”
Porsche Penske’s Kevin Estre, Andre Lotterer, and Laurens Vanthoor lead the way in the Hypercar Drivers’ Championship, having won the Qatar 1812km and finished second at Imola.
Conway, Kobayashi, and De Vries are second, 16 points behind, while Hartley, Hirakawa, and Buemi are seventh, 40 points behind.
Qualifying for the 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps begins at 12.45 am on Saturday (NZST), and the race begins at 11:00 pm on Saturday and ends at 5:00 am on Sunday.
Broadcasting rights for the World Endurance Championship were not picked up in New Zealand, leaving the official app as the only place to view with a paid subscription.
Header Image: Toyota Gazoo Racing.
