Consistency key in title race: Buemi

TDT | Manama    

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

Motor racing superstar and former Bahrain resident Sebastien Buemi credits the consistency of Toyota Gazoo Racing and his #8 crew of Brendon Hartley and Ryo Hirakawa as the reason for their title double in the 2023 FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC).

Toyota brought the curtain down on a thrilling season with a one-two victory in the Bapco Energies 8 Hours of Bahrain at Bahrain International Circuit (BIC) on Saturday to decide the destination of the drivers’ title.

Buemi, Hartley and Hirakawa won the race in their #8 GR010 Hybrid to secure their second successive FIA Hypercar World Endurance Drivers Championship, to add to their squad’s FIA Hypercar World Endurance Manufacturers’ Championship.

Buemi and Hartley also set a new record of four drivers’ title apiece, while Hirakawa has won titles in both his seasons of Hypercar competition so far.

“It feels amazing to win the World Championship again, I am really thankful to the team,” Buemi said.

“Everything went well and in the end we managed to win the race and the championship, so it was a fantastic evening. “I think we deserved it this year.

Not winning Le Mans was difficult but we showed our strength and won the championship ahead of such tough competition.

It is always special to win but this title was won with consistency.

Even though we were not always the fastest car, we scored points everywhere, even in the difficult races.

We finished on a high and this is the best way to win a championship.”

Hartley added: “It has been an amazing year.

I am really proud to be part of the #8 crew and this Toyota Gazoo Racing team.

Thanks to everyone for a fantastic season.

“We have had some fierce battles with car #7 and the other Hypercar competitors all year.

There were times when we were not the fastest car on the track so we were really pushing.

“Becoming a four-time World Champion is probably going to take a while to sink in, but it sounds really nice.”

Toyota Gazoo Racing confirmed their fifth consecutive World Championship double of manufacturers’ and drivers’ titles for the perfect end to an exciting season of Hypercar competition, which featured fierce challenges from Cadillac, Ferrari, Glickenhaus, Peugeot, Porsche and Vanwall.

With their victory in Bahrain, Toyota Gazoo Racing claimed six wins in the season, including four one-twos, to take the team’s tally to 45 victories since its WEC debut in 2012.