Toyota Triumphs at WEC Imola as Penske Porsches Round Out Podium

Toyota Gazoo Racing secured victory at the 6 Hours of Imola, the second round of the 2024 FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC), with the No. 7 GR010 HYBRID driven by Mike Conway, Kamui Kobayashi, and Nyck de Vries taking the checkered flag. The No. 8 Toyota GR010 HYBRID piloted by Sébastien Buemi, Brendon Hartley, and Ryo Hirakawa finished fifth.

Despite starting sixth on the grid, the Toyota team demonstrated exceptional driving, smart strategy, and flawless pit stops to secure the win in challenging weather conditions. Kobayashi held off the Porsche 963 of Kévin Estre in the closing stages of the race, which saw mixed weather throughout.

The two Porsche Penske Motorsport entries completed the podium, with the No. 5 car driven by Estre, André Lotterer, and Laurens Vanthoor finishing second, maintaining their lead in the FIA Hypercar World Endurance Drivers' Championship standings. The No. 6 Porsche of Matt Campbell, Frederic Makowiekci, and Michael Christensen claimed third place.

Ferrari had a strong qualifying session but a tyre strategy decision during the rain in the fourth hour led to their cars dropping down the leaderboard.

Why this matters: Toyota's victory at Imola closes the gap to Porsche in the Manufacturers' World Championship standings, setting the stage for an intense battle as the season progresses. The mixed weather conditions at Imola provided a true test of the teams' strategies and drivers' skills, highlighting the excitement and unpredictability of endurance racing.

In the LMGT3 class, the No. 31 Team WRT BMW M4 driven by Augusto Farfus, Darren Leung, and Sean Gelael clinched the first-ever WEC class win for BMW, finishing ahead of the sister No. 32 BMW M4 and the Manthey PureRxcing Porsche. Toyota Gazoo Racing's Team Principal, Kamui Kobayashi, praised the team's performance.

Key Takeaways

• Toyota Gazoo Racing won the 6 Hours of Imola in the 2024 FIA WEC championship.
• Porsche Penske Motorsport finished 2nd and 3rd, maintaining their lead in the Drivers' Championship.
• Ferrari's tyre strategy decision during rain led to their cars dropping down the leaderboard.
• BMW secured their first-ever WEC class win in the LMGT3 category.
• Toyota's victory at Imola closes the gap to Porsche in the Manufacturers' Championship.