Reigning World Endurance Championship title winners Brendon Hartley, Sebastien Buemi and Ryo Hirakawa have all however conceded the crown regardless of profitable Sunday’s Interlagos spherical.
Hartley believes that even after taking most race factors within the Sao Paulo 6 Hours and shifting from eighth to fifth place within the championship, the #8 Toyota GR010 HYBRID shall be enjoying what he referred to as a “supporting position” to the sister Le Mans Hypercar over the rest of the marketing campaign.
“We all know that the championship is a protracted shot and have been considering that manner earlier than we got here right here to Brazil,” stated Hartley, who together with Buemi and Hirakawa arrived in Brazil trailing team-mates Kamui Kobayashi and Nyck de Vries by 38 factors.
“We thought we have been going to be enjoying a back-up position right here, however we ended up profitable the race, although I’m undecided it adjustments a lot.
“The #7 automobile is within the higher place within the championship and I’m fairly positive we’re going to be supporting them over the approaching races. I believe that’s going to be our job over the remainder of the season.
“There’s additionally the producers’ championship to contemplate, which Toyota actually needs to win once more, and we’re going to need to play our half there.”
#8 Toyota Gazoo Racing Toyota GR010 – Hybrid: Sebastien Buemi, Brendon Hartley, Ryo Hirakawa
Photograph by: JEP / Motorsport Photos
Hartley identified that the championship-leading Porsche crew of Laurens Vanthoor, Andre Lotterer and Kevin Estre “scored good factors” in Brazil, which is able to make any comeback by the drivers of the #8 Toyota that rather more tough.
The New Zealander conceded that the #7 entry was the faster of the 2 Toyotas in Brazil and would have gained however for a gasoline stress drawback early within the third hour that resulted within the lack of three minutes when a management unit was modified within the sidepod.
“We obtained the victory however #7 was flying right this moment — they went a distinct course on set-up,” defined Hartley. “They have been faster than us and had a lot much less tyre deg.”
Conway, who was returning to the Toyota line-up after lacking final month’s Le Mans 24 Hours via damage, constructed up a transparent lead over Hartley within the early laps and was again within the lead after taking a drive-through penalty for a Full Course Yellow infringement earlier than the second spherical of pitstops.
Hartley defined that the grip from his Michelin tyres “fell off the cliff” within the closing laps of his opening double stint.
The #8 automobile moved into the lead when the sister Toyota encountered its drawback as Conway handed over de Vries and went on to regulate the rest of the race earlier than taking victory by greater than a minute.
De Vries and Kobayashi have been in a position to struggle again as much as fourth, which allowed them to retain third place within the championship behind the Porsche Penske Motorsport crew and Le Mans-winning Ferrari drivers Antonio Fuoco, Nicklas Nielsen and Miguel Molina.
Conway is seventh within the factors courtesy of his absence from Le Mans after breaking his collarbone and two ribs in a biking accident.
