WEC 6 Hours of Portimão | 6 talking points

Toyota remains out of reach

After so many seasons without much competition in the WEC, Toyota Gazoo Racing is relishing the chance to prove just how strong it is, now that other major car makers have joined the fray. In Portimão, a quirky problem delayed and frustrated the Sebring 1000 Miles-winning #7 GR010 Hybrid, but the sister #8 ran trouble-free to score a dominant win, its trio of drivers – Sébastien Buemi, Ryo Hirakawa and Brendon Hartley – jumping to the top of the championship points table.

Mike Conway in #7 pulled a great move on his team-mate Buemi to take the lead at the start, the Swiss losing momentum which allowed the #51 Ferrari 499P of James Calado to claim second place. But Buemi soon recovered and passed Calado to chase after Conway, taking the lead on lap 33.

A likely Toyota one-two was then lost when the #7 car was ordered by the stewards to change a mandatory sensor which had failed 80 minutes into the six-hour race. The torque sensor on the left-rear driveshaft monitors performance and is considered crucial for the measurement of the Balance of Performance formula – which is why Toyota was ordered to make the change. Both crews of mechanics from the pair of cars worked fast, but the #7 entry still lost 11 minutes and seven laps. It was ninth at the chequered flag.

“Overall it is great for car #8 to win the race,” said team principal Kamui Kobayashi, who also shares driving duties on #7 with Conway and José María López. “They did an absolutely amazing job, without any mistakes so they deserved this win. It was unfortunate for car #7 because after spending that time in the garage we had no chance to get a strong result. But I was really proud to see this strong team effort. The car felt good all through the race, we just didn’t have the luck today.” 

Ferrari climbs another step

Ferrari’s strong return to the top class of sportscar racing continued as the 499P scored its second consecutive WEC podium. The #50 entry driven by Antonio Fuoco, Miguel Molina and Nicklas Nielsen made the most of the #8 Toyota’s delay to score an encouraging second place, albeit a lap down on the winning GR010 Hybrid. That was even with a late safety car, caused by a spin for Jacques Villeneuve in the Vanwall that had been triggered by a brake fire. By then the second-placed Ferrari had already gone a lap down, meaning Hartley could make his final pitstop after racing resumed and resume still leading. Nevertheless, Ferrari had every reason to be pleased by both the speed and reliability of its new racer – although Calado and his team-mates Alessandro Pier Guidi and Antonio Giovinazzi in the #51 car were slowed by brake problems and could only finish sixth.

“Second place represents an excellent performance and a further step forward over the third step of the podium on [our Sebring] debut,” said team chief Antonello Coletta. “We know there’s still a long way to go, and our opponents are very strong. Here at Portimão, we had a problem with the 499P number 51 that stopped us from finishing with a double podium, which would have been an outstanding result. We go away happy but aware that we must continue to work, especially on reliability.”

Porsche takes its first podium

A podium third for the #6 Porsche 963 of Laurens Vanthoor, Kevin Estre and André Lotterer marked the first time an LMDh racer has made the podium in the WEC – although the German giant remains in the shadows of both Toyota and Ferrari on form. Still, there was good news for Porsche across the Atlantic when Mathieu Jaminet and Nick Tandy delivered the 963 a first victory in the IMSA race at Long Beach – a first overall victory for the marque on the US scene since the old American Le Mans Series days back in 2008.

Back in Portugal, the Chip Ganassi-run Cadillac driven by Alex Lynn, Earl Bamber and Richard Westbrook once again finished just off the WEC podium in fourth, as it did in Sebring, and one of the Peugeot 9X8s made it home in fifth to ensure a spread of manufacturers in the top positions.

Glory for United and Corvette

United Autosports claimed an LMP2 one-two as Oliver Jarvis, Josh Pierson and Giedo van der Garde overcame a five-second penalty for a pitstop infringement to see off a challenge from the Prema Racing entry. And Corvette made it two wins from two races in the GTE Am category, as Nicky Catsburg fended off the AF Corse Ferrari of Alessio Rovera.

The Spa 6 Hours is next on 29^th April, ahead of the big one at Le Mans in June.

Kirkwood claims his first

First pole position, first victory. Kyle Kirkwood delivered a near-faultless performance in Long Beach to make his breakthrough in the best possible way, at one of the season’s most prestigious races. The 24-year-old has long been considered one of American single-seater racing’s most exciting prospects – and he underlined that in style on Sunday.

Only Team Penske’s Josef Newgarden threatened to spoil the narrative. Running on the alternate tyre strategy, he was on the quicker softer tyre for the second stint and took advantage of Kirkwood getting mixed up with backmarkers to take the lead. But Kirkwood kept his cool, remained in range and grabbed back a lead he would keep at the second round of pit stops.

“This is amazing,” said the Andretti Autosport driver. “What a day. The calmest day I’ve had in two years, and it was a win. We got a little unlucky with some traffic and fell back, but kept our heads straight. Awesome pit stops – and came away with a win at Long Beach.”

A major talent has officially arrived.

Great day for Andretti

Team-mate Romain Grosjean was best of the rest to finish second, with Colton Herta climbing from seventh to fourth to complete a one-two-four for Michael Andretti’s Honda-powered team. Chip Ganassi’s Marcus Ericsson finished third and jumped back to the top of the drivers’ standings, aided by McLaren’s Pato O’Ward causing chaos at Turn Eight on two separate occasions, the second time in a collision with six-time champion Scott Dixon.

IndyCar heads to Alabama next for Barber Motorsports Park on 30^th April.