Kobayashi on 2023 Hypercar title: “It will be a close fight!”
With five FIA WEC rounds down and two remaining, the pressure is on Toyota Gazoo Racing to retain the Hypercar title for the 2023 season in the all-important FIA Hypercar World Endurance Manufacturers’ Championship.
Toyota currently lead the overall standings with 152 points, 26 points ahead of closest rival Ferrari. However, with a total of 65 points still available (25 for Fuji and 38 for Bahrain plus an extra point for pole position at each race), there’s still an opportunity for Ferrari to catch the reigning champions.
Kamui Kobayashi, Toyota Gazoo Racing’s Team Principal and driver, summarised the current situation: “It’s important to never give up. We have two races to go and we will do our best to win both World Championships. I am sure it will be a close fight.”
The Japanese squad have had a strong season so far having won four out of the five races (Sebring, Portimao, Spa and the most recent round in Monza) but Ferrari won at Le Mans, a double points scoring round, and have consistently challenged the Toyota GR010 Hybrid Hypercar on track.
In the FIA Hypercar World Endurance Drivers’ Championship, it’s the No. 8 crew of Brendon Hartley, Sebastien Buemi and Ryo Hirakawa who are top of the leaderboard – 23 points ahead of the sister No. 7 crew comprised of Jose-Maria Lopez, Kamui Kobayashi and Mike Conway. Joint second in the leaderboard is the Le Mans winning crew of the No. 51 AF Corse crew of James Calado, Alessandro Pier Guidi and Antonio Giovinazzi.
Toyota will take comfort in the fact that the next round in the calendar is their home race – the 6 Hours of Fuji – a round of the WEC that Toyota are particularly dominant at with the team having won the previous five editions.
Round six of WEC, the 6 Hours of Fuji, will take place from 8-10 September at the Fuji International Speedway. Click HERE for the latest entry list.
