Toyota Wins First WEC Race at 6 Hours of Sao Paulo

ToyotaToyotaJapan, 1937 > present155 models
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has performed an impressive feat in Brazil today. The Toyota TS030Toyota TS030 HYBRIDJapan, 2012 > present5 photos
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has won its first WEC race in the 6 Hours of Sao Paulo. The #1 Audi R18 E-Tron QuattroAudi R18 e-tron quattroGermany, 2012 > present8 photos
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came in second and was one minute down from the Toyota. Third overall was the #2 Audi R18 ultraGermany, 2012 > present11 photos
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that was 1:16 down from the Toyota. Toyota also powered the fastest privateer LMP1 car with the #12 Rebellion Racing Lola B12/60-ToyotaLola B12/60 CoupeUnited Kingdom, 2011 > present2 photos
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. The TS030 also took the fastest lap with 1:56 hours left, and it did a 1:23.419 lap time. 

In LMP2, the #44 Starworks Motorsports HPD-ARX 03bHonda HPD ARX 03bJapan, 2012 > present2 photos
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won the class. The #23 OAK Racing Morgan-NissanNissanJapan, 1932 > present159 models
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was second in class and the #49 Pecom Racing Oreca 03-NissanOreca Oreca 03 NissanFrance, 2011 > present2 photos
was second. 

In GTE-Pro, the #51 AF Corse Ferrari 458Ferrari 458 Italia GTCItaly, 2011 > present5 photos
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won overall and was followed by the #97 Aston Martin Racing Vantage V8Aston Martin Vantage GTEUnited Kingdom, 2012 > present4 photos
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in second. 

In GTE-Am, the #50 Larbre Competition CorvetteChevrolet Corvette C6.RUnited States of America, 2011 > present3 photos
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won the class. The #88 Team Falbermeyr-Proton PorschePorsche 911 GT3 RSRGermany, 2011 > present10 photos
was second in class. 

The race itself went by without much incident. The Audis suffered from tire degradation that helped hand Toyota the win. Toyota started from pole and other than being passed by the Audis a few times in the pits, it led the entire race. It had pulled out an 18 second lead in the first hour and won by about a lap. 

About two hours into the race, the #2 Audi R18 touched a GT car causing the Audi to spin. It lost over 20 seconds in the incident. 

The lone safety car period with 3:26 left in the race. A wheel came off the #23 Signatech Nissan driven by Jordan Tresson. He was able to keep driving the car, but it was high centered on a hill later in the track and could not move away. The safety car was out for 12 minutes. Toyota was lucky during the safety car because several cars separated it from the Audi. That meant that Audi could not breath down its neck at the green flag. 

With 3:08 hours left, Giancarlo Fishicella in the #51 AF Corse Ferrari passed Darren Turner in the #97 Aston Martin Vantage for first place in class. The Ferrari was able to keep the lead through the rest of the race. 

Later, with 2:56 hours to go the OAK Racing Morgan and Starworks HPD began competing hard for the class lead in LMP2. Starworks was able to make the pass and kept the lead to the end of the race. 

For roughly the last two hours of the race, there was light misting on the track. It never actually began raining, though. 

This is a historic win for Toyota. The team was not able to win in Le Mans after two reirements. At Silverstone, it managed a second place finish and led briefly. Finally, at Sao Paulo Toyota has taken a win. The team claims that it has a chance to win at the 6 Hours of Bahrain as well. 

There are three races left on the WEC calendar. The 6 Hours of Bahrain is on September 29; The 6 Hours of Fuji is on October 14, and the 6 Hours of Shanghai is on October 28.