Dakar Racing News: Toyota Gazoo Racing Claim Front Row Lockout at WEC São Paulo
In a dominant display at the Autódromo José Carlos Pace, Toyota Gazoo Racing secured a front row lockout for the 6 Hours of São Paulo, the fifth round of the 2024 FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC).
Kamui Kobayashi, piloting the #7 Toyota, clinched pole position with a blistering lap time of 1:23.140, edging out the sister #8 car by just 0.122 seconds. This marks Toyota’s first pole position of the season in the highly competitive Hypercar class.
In the LMGT3 category, the Iron Dames’ Lamborghini Huracan LMGT3 Evo2, driven by Sarah Bovy, continued its strong form, taking pole position with a time of 1:34.413. Championship leaders Manthey PureRxcing finished second, followed by the two United Autosports McLarens in third and fourth.
“The team has worked hard to ensure we’re in the best possible position for the race,” said Kamui Kobayashi. “With a front row lockout, we’re confident we can mount a strong challenge for the victory on Sunday.”
The top ten Hypercars were separated by less than half a second, setting the stage for an enthralling qualifying shootout. The #5 Porsche Penske Motorsport car, a consistent front-runner in qualifying, secured third, just 0.069 seconds behind the second-placed Toyota.
Elsewhere, the #2 Cadillac Racing car, piloted by Alex Lynn, will start from fourth, highlighting the American team’s impressive progress in recent WEC rounds.
The 6 Hours of São Paulo is set to get underway at 15:30 GMT on Sunday, July 14th, as the WEC season reaches a crucial juncture. With Toyota’s dominance in qualifying and the close battle in LMGT3, fans can look forward to an action-packed race at the legendary Interlagos circuit.
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