2023-04-16 17:04:34
Toyota won its second victory of the season at Portimão, despite technical problems which affected one of the two Japanese cars. Ferrari is on the podium once more, on which Porsche climbs for the first time since its return to prototype.
At Toyota n°8 de Sebastien Buemi, Brendon Hartley et Ryo Hirakawa offered a recital to win at the end of the 6 Hours of Portimão. A race that was conducted at full speed, without the slightest neutralization during the first five hours, and during which Toyota still experienced problems, which nevertheless concentrated on the sister car.
Starting from pole position, the n°7 gave way to the faster n°8 at the end of the first stint, before the GR010 Hybrid was pushed into its box for a driveshaft change. This was imposed by the race direction via the black and orange flag due to a faulty sensor problem. The trio formed by Mike Conway, Kamui Kobayashi et Jose Maria Lopez thus lost all chance of doing well, before encountering a second problem a little later.
Alone in the lead, the surviving Toyota first made up its gap, around thirty seconds, before widening it once more around halfway through the race. A well-inspired attack because the intervention of the safety car, shortly before entering the sixth hour, was therefore not penalizing because the leaders had a one-lap lead over their nearest pursuers. This neutralization was caused by the runway excursion of Jacques Villeneuvevictim of a fairly spectacular front brake failure at the wheel of the Vanwall.
Behind the untouchable Toyota, Ferrari did his best, despite a start to the race marked by a bit of a hassle regarding team orders between the two cars. The #51, however, suffered from brake-by-wire problems for most of the followingnoon, then front brakes late in the race, leaving the #50 withAnthony Fire, Miguel Molina et Nicklas Nielsen take over. Second place at the finish therefore logically went to the three men, who offered themselves a second consecutive podium following that won at Sebring last month.
Five different manufacturers in the top 5!
Behind them, Porsche came to join the fight for the podium with the n°6 of Kevin Estre, Andre Lotterer et Laurens Vanthoor. There is therefore good for the 963 LMDh, even if it was necessary to top up the fuel in the last ten minutes and if the other German prototype suffered power steering problems.
In the third stage of the race, the battle was sometimes good to follow between Cadillac and the best placed Peugeot, the n°94, to finally turn to the advantage of the American clan. The Lion, he had started the event by starting the n°93 from the pits following replacing the power steering even before the start, but entered the top 5 in the last minutes by taking advantage of the agony of the Ferrari #51.
First WEC podium for the Porsche 963.
READ ALSO: The Porsche 963 scores its very first victory at Long Beach
The final ranking was therefore drawn with five different brands in the first five positions! As for the Glickenhaus in Romain Dumas, Ryan Briscoe et Olivier Pla, she took eighth place at the finish, without ever having been able to join the fight in front. It is ahead of the Toyota n°7, ninth under the checkered flag following its accumulation of worries.
In a particularly tight LMP2 category, the end of the race was rich in suspense following having been revived a little more by the safety intervention. After witnessing minute gaps during the first hours, but also racing events that led to decisive penalties, it was finally United Autosports which took the lead with a double, to the great displeasure of Prema Racing which nevertheless had a good race. Josh Pierson, Giedo van der Garde et Oliver Jarvis won, despite a faulty radio which made it very difficult for them!
In LMGTE Am, where there was plenty of fighting, everything was decided until the very last moments, following a thrilling duel between Corvette and the n°83 Ferrari of Richard Mille AF Corse. Victory fell into the hands of the Corvette entrusted to Ben Keating, Nicholas Varrone et Nick Catsburgthanks to the paying resistance of the Dutch pilot.
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