Toyota Gazoo Racing team prepares for home race this weekend

The Toyota Gazoo Racing team is preparing to race this weekend at Fuji Speedway, which is considered a home race for Toyota Gazoo Racing and the GR010 Hybrid.

Per the Japanese race team and Toyota’s motorsports arm, the GR010 Hybrid’s powertrain was designed, developed, and built at the nearby Higashi-Fuji Technical Center.

“Everyone in the team is looking forward to our home race and the chance to compete in front of our Japanese fans, as well as our Toyota colleagues and partners who contribute so much. After Le Mans, winning at Fuji is our next priority and we have a very strong record there. So our target is to extend our run of victories, despite the very close competition amongst the Hypercar. It will be a big fight between a lot of manufacturers which is what all the fans want to see. We won on Ferrari’s home ground in Monza in the last race, so I am sure they will want to get their revenge this weekend. We need to get everything right, avoid any mistakes, and keep pushing to stay in front. With only two races to go in the season, this is a critical race for the World Championship so we will be giving everything,” commented Toyota Gazoo Racing Team Principal and Driver Kamui Kobayashi.

The penultimate race of the 2023 FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) season is shaping up to be more than just a home race for Toyota Gazoo Racing. That’s because a win in Fuji will allow the team to secure a season victory and a fifth consecutive World Championship title.

To note, Toyota Gazoo Racing leads Hypercar rivals Ferrari by 26 points. That said, it can secure the crown if it outscores the Italian marque by 13 points in Fuji.

Regardless of the result in Japan, however, fans can still expect an exciting four-way battle for the Drivers’ World Championship between both Toyota Gazoo Racing and Ferrari crews. The final race will take place in Bahrain on November 4, 2023.

“It’s great to go to Fuji Speedway for our home race at the top of both World Championships, and we are focused on tightening our grip with a strong result this weekend. We saw in Monza how close the competition is, and how a small mistake here or there can have a big impact on the result, so we need to be on the top of our game. I’m sure it will be another great battle, particularly with Ferrari who have looked very quick all year, but that’s what we all want and we’re ready for the challenge,” noted Toyota Gazoo Racing Driver Brendon Hartley.

Another enthusiastic Japanese crowd is expected to cheer on a 12-car Hypercar field, featuring competitors from Cadillac, Ferrari, Peugeot, and Porsche as part of the biggest grid of top-class prototypes at the 6 Hours of Fuji in the modern WEC era.

Fans will get the first chance to see the Hypercars in action around the 4.563-kilometer (km) track, which is the shortest on the WEC calendar despite its 1.5-km start-finish straight, on Friday when free practice begins with two 90-minute sessions.

A final one-hour practice on Saturday morning sets the scene for the grid-defining qualifying before the 6 Hours of Fuji begins on Sunday, September 10, 2023.

“It’s great to race in Japan. Everyone knows how passionate the Japanese fans are; they make it an incredible experience for all the drivers, and particularly for us as Toyota Gazoo Racing drivers. Over the years, the team has had great success at Fuji Speedway and it’s obviously a big priority for us to win our home race, so we will be giving everything this weekend. Our car should suit Fuji pretty well but we know the fight is incredibly close in Hypercar so it should be another exciting battle,” stated Toyota Gazoo Racing Driver José María López.

Photos from Toyota Gazoo Racing 

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