Fuji Frustration for Toyota Gazoo Racing

Toyota Gazoo Racing contributed to the exciting racing at the Six Hours of Fuji on Sunday, but ultimately had to settle for fifth and sixth place in the race, the latest round of the 2015 World Endurance Championship.

The team were frustrated by incidents involving both its cars and a relative lack of pace once rain cleared and track conditions became dry.

The No1 TS040 Hybrid of Anthony Davidson, Sébastien Buemi and Kazuki Nakajima finished fifth after a drive-through penalty ended its battle for a top-four result. The No2 car of Alex Wurz, Stéphane Sarrazin and Mike Conway needed a lengthy repair stop after being hit by a GT car, but fought back after this delay to finish sixth.

The field spent the first 40 minutes of the race behind the safety car on a wet track, with rain still falling. Lead-out drivers Nakajima and Wurz started from fifth and sixth respectively, and when racing got under way, a hectic start saw the Japanese driver move into third. Wurz fought gallantly in fourth, but dropped back to sixth.

Nakajima’s battle with the No17 Porsche 918 was a highlight of the race, the Toyota driver showed immense fighting spirit before ultimately dropping to fourth shortly before the first hour mark.

With the track drying, both cars changed to hybrid intermediate tyres but Toyota’s race chances were dealt two blows soon after.

First, Sarrazin was hit by a GT car, damaging the cooling system and requiring a 13-minute stop for repairs. With Conway at the wheel, the No2 car rejoined the race in 19th place, 12 laps down on the leaders. At the same time, Davidson was given a drive-through penalty for a pit lane entry infringement.

With conditions improving, both cars switched to dry tyres for the final quarter of the race. By that time Buemi was at the wheel of the No1 Toyota in fifth place, while Conway had made his way into the top eight.

Home hero Nakajima took the wheel for the final stint and crossed the line in fifth place, while Wurz continued to make progress in the No2 car, reclaiming sixth position in the closing minutes.

Toyota remains third in the manufacturers’ World Championship, 145 points behind leaders Porsche, who won the race with the No17 car.

Two races remain in the 2015 WEC season: Shanghai on 1 November, followed by the finale in Bahrain three weeks later.