Toyota won the World Endurance Championship season opener, the 6 Hours of Imola, with the No. 8 TR010 driven by Ryo Hirakawa, Sebastien Buemi and Brendon Hartley. The crew led most of the race and finished 13.352 seconds ahead of Antonio Giovinazzi in the No. 51 Ferrari 499P.
The TR010 made its competitive debut after Toyota rebranded the GR010 and dropped the Gazoo Racing name this offseason, and Ryo Hirakawa nearly put the car on pole before Giovinazzi’s late lap. Sebastien Buemi and Brendon Hartley helped consolidate the lead through the second half of the race.
Brendon Hartley told the WEC broadcast post-race that the debut “felt special,” praising strategy and tire management and noting team play between the two Toyota entries. The sister No. 7 Toyota TR010 finished third.
The No. 35 Alpine A424 ran as high as third and finished fourth with Charles Milesi at the wheel, while the No. 50 Ferrari 499P dropped to sixth after a drive-through penalty and the No. 12 Cadillac V-Series.R fell to 13th following a similar penalty.
This article is based on reporting from Road and Track Motorsport.
Read the full article at Road and Track Motorsport.
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