In a spectacular finale to the 2024 FIA World Endurance Championship season Toyota Gazoo Racing emerged victorious in the WEC 8H Bahrain, claiming both the race win and the coveted manufacturers title.
The event which was held under the dazzling lights of the Bahrain International Circuit was marked by thrilling battles, strategic maneuvers, and unexpected twists that kept fans on the edge of their seats.
The WEC 8H Bahrain began with high anticipation as the #8 Toyota GR010 Hybrid piloted by Sébastien Buemi, Ryō Hirakawa, and Brendon Hartley started from pole position.
However, the early moments of the race took a dramatic turn when Buemi was involved in a collision with a TF Sport Corvette just 20 minutes in. This incident sent him spinning and caused significant damage to their lead position.
As a result, Buemi found himself in 10th place when racing resumed after an early safety car period. Despite the setback, the Toyota Gazoo Racing team demonstrated remarkable resilience. The first half of the race was relatively uneventful compared to the chaos that unfolded in the latter stages.
As the race progressed past the fourth hour a series of incidents led to two Safety Car periods. These neutralizations bunched up the field and created opportunities for teams to strategize their pit stops effectively.
The first of these occurred with two-and-a-half hours to go as the #88 Proton Competition Ford stopped out on track, which eliminated a 30-second deficit between Hirakawa and the race-leading #51 Ferrari 499P.
Then, at the start of the penultimate hour, Hirakawa was able to get into the pits and hand over the No. 8 car to Buemi just as the virtual safety car was called again in response to the #94 Peugeot 9X8 parking up trackside with a terminal problem.
The introduction of two safety cars and a Full-Course Yellow created opportunities for teams to regroup and strategize their pit stops effectively. The #5 Porsche Penske 963, driven by Matt Campbell, Michael Christensen, and Frédéric Makowiecki, emerged as a strong contender during these phases, taking advantage of the situation to gain positions.
As temperatures began to drop in the closing hours, the intensity of the competition escalated but Buemi maintained his exceptional driving and determination to secure Toyota Gazoo Racing the manufacturers title.
Following a series of well-timed pit stops and strategic tire management, he climbed back through the field. The pivotal moment came when he found himself in direct contention with Matt Campbell from Porsche’s #5 Penske 963 for the championship title.
With just 39 minutes remaining on the clock, Buemi executed a bold move at Turn 10 to overtake Campbell and although he initially made contact that forced him to yield back the position temporarily, he quickly regained his momentum and ultimately pulled away to secure victory by a comfortable margin.
This victory not only marked Toyota’s fourth consecutive FIA Hypercar Manufacturers’ Championship title but also underscored their dominance in endurance racing history with six overall titles since its inception.
While Toyota celebrated its triumph, Porsche faced a bittersweet outcome. The #6 Porsche crew consisting of André Lotterer, Laurens Vanthoor, and Kévin Estre secured the drivers’ championship despite finishing 11th due to penalties incurred during critical moments of the race.
Their consistency throughout the season had been commendable; they were the only team to achieve two wins during races at Qatar and Fuji. However, their disappointing finish in WEC 8H Bahrain meant they were unable to capitalize on their strong season performance.
The podium was rounded out by Ferrari’s #51 AF Corse 499P driven by Antonio Giovinazzi, Alessandro Pier Guidi, and James Calado. Initially appearing poised for victory after leading significant portions of the race, they faced penalties post-race for exceeding tire limits during both qualifying and race segments.
This penalty relegated them from second place to a final standing that highlighted how crucial adherence to regulations is in endurance racing.
The #5 Porsche Penske 963 finished third after an intense battle with Giovinazzi on the last lap. Campbell managed to fend off late charges from both Ferrari drivers but ultimately lost out to Giovinazzi’s last-minute maneuver before being penalized.
The surviving #93 Peugeot of Mikkel Jensen finished in fourth place amid a late charge from the #35 Alpine A424 of Paul-Loup Chatin which ultimately settled for fifth. BMW’s only finisher was the #15 M Hybrid V8 in sixth, ahead of the solo Cadillac V-Series.R in seventh and the #38 Hertz Team JOTA Porsche in eighth.
Milesi, sharing with Jules Gounon and Mick Schumacher, withstood contact from Laurens Vanthoor to hold onto ninth.
Beyond Hypercar class drama, LMGT3 provided its own share of excitement. The #55 VISTA AF Corse Ferrari claimed its first win of the season thanks to Alessio Rovera’s brilliant drive that saw him take control after fierce battles against rivals like TF Sport’s Corvette and Iron Dames’ Lamborghini.
The closing stages were electrifying as Rovera executed a thrilling overtake on Eastwood’s Corvette after both cars had been embroiled in an intense battle for position earlier in the race. Rovera held off Eastwood’s late charge to secure victory alongside teammates François Hériau and Simon Mann.
Juncadella held off Matteo Cairoli in the #60 Iron Lynx Lamborghini Huracan GT3 EVO2 to make it a double TF Sport podium, while the #91 Manthey EMA Porsche 911 GT3 R was fifth to seal second in the LMGT3 standings.
