How did Toyota win at the 24hour of Le Mans?
- Unstoppable Cars
- Star-studded Drivers
- Unrivaled Team Effort
After 19 attempts of taking the crown at the 24hr of Le Mans, Toyota has finally made it to the top with a 1-2 finish. This makes them the second Japanese manufacturer to win at the 24hr of Le Mans, next to Mazda in 1991. Cars from Toyota Motors Philippines seem to celebrate their victory with a number of cars sporting the Toyota Gazoo team livery.
On the 86th 24hr of Le Mans, Toyota was unstoppable. With both Toyota Gazoo Racing TS050 Hybrids seeming to be the only cars competing with each other in the LMP1 class, the fastest and highest class bracket in the event.
Unstoppable Cars
The 2018 TS050 Hybrid was the only hybrid car to enter the LMP1 class. Clearly, no one else on the field could match Toyota’s LMP1 car. In terms of mechanical and technological advancement, the TS050 Hybrid was on top against the competition. Simply watching the car blast through the pack gave viewers an idea just how powerful the car was.
Another advantage they have over their competitors was the aerodynamic advantage they have. Toyota have invested a lot in terms of perfecting the TS050 Hybrid’s aerodynamics, from the ground up. Then one of the talking points of the car was their reliability.
Like most cars on the Pricelist of Toyota Cars in the Philippines, Toyota has proven to be the most reliable car out there. No major technical issues arose during the whole 24 hours. This is all thanks to a great cooling system and the efforts of their engineers to make every part last throughout every driver’s stint.
Star-studded Drivers
Behind the wheel of the TS050 Hybrid car number 8 were; endurance racing veteran Sebastian Buemi, 2-time Formula 1 world champion Fernando Alonso, and former Williams-Toyota Formula 1 driver Kazuki Nakajima. Drivers of car number 7 were; GP2 Asia Series champion Kamui Kobayashi, World Touring Car Championship winner Jose Maria Lopez, and endurance car veteran Mike Conway.
All drivers with multiple racing experience and championship titles under their belt. Everyone with the goal to make it to the end with the trophy in their hands. Although for the 2-time Formula 1 champion, Fernando Alonso, a win here would mean that he’ll be one step closer to achieving one of motorsports most prestigious titles, the Triple Crown of motorsports. Only one driver in the world has achieved this, Graham Hill.
Unrivaled Team Effort
After 24 grueling hours of racing, car number 8 – with driver’s Sebastian Buemi, Fernando Alonso, and Kazuki Nakajima – ran a total 388 laps with car number 7 – piloted by Kamui Kobayashi, Mike Conway, and Jose Maria Lopez – 2 laps behind. Throughout the whole race, it seemed as if no other LMP1 car could come close to the pace and speed of the drivers.
The victory should also be credited to the pit crew and engineers for the speedy changes that happen in the pit. It was an amazing finish with Japanese driver Kazuki Nakajima behind the wheel for the final laps of the race. A truly fitting win for Toyota.
Key Takeaway
With the Pricelist of Toyota Cars in the Philippines unchanged, you’ll might come across a variety of these cars wrapped in red, white, and black. Toyota Motors Philippines may even come up with a special edition vehicle sporting the Toyota Gazoo Racing colors to celebrate their triumph of motorsports most punishing event, the 24 hours of Le Mans.
