Championship points round-up: Toyota closes the gap on Porsche
With just three rounds of the FIA WEC remaining this year (USA, Japan and Bahrain), the fight for the 2024 endurance championship titles has well and truly heated up!
Following Toyota’s win at the Rolex 6 Hours of Sao Paulo last weekend, the FIA Hypercar World Endurance Manufacturers’ Championship has got even closer with Porsche’s lead slashed to a slender four points over closest rivals, Toyota. Porsche Penske Motorsport have finished on the podium at each of the five WEC races this year and currently have 126 points while Toyota, thanks to two race wins in Imola and Sao Paulo, have 122 points.
Ferrari’s victory at Le Mans sees the Prancing Horse still in the fight with 109 points – just 17 points adrift of points leaders, Porsche. With 91 points (including pole position points) still available at the remaining WEC races this season, the 2024 title is a three-way battle between Porsche, Toyota and Ferrari.
In the FIA Hypercar World Endurance Drivers’ Championship, the No. 6 Porsche Penske crew of Andre Lotterer, Kevin Estre and Laurens Vanthoor lead the standings with a total of 117 points. The No. 50 Ferrari AF Corse trio of Antonio Fuoco, Miguel Molina and Nicklas Nielsen are second with 98 points – just three points ahead of Toyota Gazoo Racing’s Kamui Kobayashi and Nyck de Vries who have 95.
The FIA Endurance Trophy for LMGT3 Teams sees Manthey PureRxcing sitting confidently at the top of the standings with a total of 100 points after two wins this year already. Manthey EMA are second with 75 points and Team WRT just one point behind with 74 points. However, with 91 points still up for grabs, there’s still ample opportunity for Manthey PureRxcing to be knocked off the top of that leaderboard.
Finally, in the FIA World Cup for Hypercar Teams, Hertz Team JOTA have proved the dominant force in 2024 and have amassed a whopping 54 point lead over second-placed Proton Competition. Should they win at the next round at COTA, it is mathematically possible that they could win the 2024 title with two rounds still remaining.
Round six of the FIA WEC – the Lone Star Le Mans at the Circuit of The Americas in Texas, USA – will take place from 30 August – 1 September.
