Toyota achieved a hard-fought yet well-deserved victory in the 8 Hours of Bahrain, successfully defending their FIA WEC constructors' title for the sixth consecutive year. Despite starting from pole position, Sebastien Buemi, Brendon Hartley, and Ryo Hirakawa had to fight their way back after an early race collision. Once again, the GR010 Hybrid proved its speed, allowing the trio to turn around what seemed like a nearly impossible race.
The Porsche Penske Motorsport team also celebrated on the Sakhir circuit, securing the World Endurance drivers' title with Kevin Estre, André Lotterer, and Laurens Vanthoor, following their IMSA win. Ferrari, represented by Antonio Giovinazzi, Alessandro Pier Guidi, and James Calado, fought valiantly and finished second. Bringing a positive note to the day for Maranello’s team, Alessio Rovera, Simon Mann, and François Heriau clinched victory in the LMGT3 category.
At the start, Buemi held the lead, followed by Giovinazzi, who overtook Mike Conway's Toyota. In the leading pack, a collision involved the Porsche Penske cars and Miguel Molina’s Ferrari, with Molina dropping to the back. Championship leader Vanthoor faced challenges as well, getting stuck behind the Peugeots and Alpines.
The first major twist came on lap ten: Buemi was rear-ended by Hiroshi Koizumi during lapping, causing Buemi to lose valuable time and positions. Giovinazzi seized the opportunity, building a lead over Will Stevens’ Jota Porsche. However, an issue during his pit stop caused Giovinazzi to lose the lead, forcing him into a determined recovery. After a mistake by Stevens, Giovinazzi reclaimed the lead.
As the sun set, Calado took over the Ferrari, handling the difficult task of defending the top position. Meanwhile, Toyota continued its comeback, with Buemi handing the car to Hartley, who allowed Kobayashi to take the wheel. However, an electronic issue caused Kobayashi to fall to eighth. He started a strong comeback, reaching fourth before handing over to de Vries, who then returned the lead to Pier Guidi.
The race grew even more complex with multiple incidents and safety car interventions, including one following a Ford Mustang retirement and de Vries' issues with his Toyota. Giovinazzi, back at the wheel of the Ferrari, regained the lead, while the Porsche team focused on maintaining its championship position.
In the final stages, Buemi overtook Campbell’s Porsche, taking advantage of the situation to secure victory. Ferrari, with Giovinazzi driving, finished in second place, followed by the Alpine team of Chatin, Habsburg, and Gounon. The remaining BMW, driven by Marciello, Vanthoor, and Wittmann, finished sixth, while the other M Hybrid V8 retired due to a transmission issue.
Jota, in a Porsche, took eighth place and the victory among privateer teams, while the AF Corse-managed Ferrari completed the top 10, followed by Milesi’s Alpine, who was involved in a collision with Fuoco’s Ferrari. Lamborghini, which had performed well in the early phases, was also forced to retire due to technical problems.
In LMGT3, Ferrari dominated with Mann, Heriau, and Rovera, the latter delivering an exceptional final stint. Rovera defended the lead against Charlie Eastwood’s Corvette, crossing the finish line with a three-second advantage. TF Sport’s Corvette finished third, driven by Juncadella, Baud, and Koizumi. Lamborghini’s Cairoli, fighting until the end, claimed fourth place.
McLaren, after strong qualifying performances, faced a tougher race: Saucy, Costa, and Cottingham finished sixth, while Caygill, Pino, and Sato placed eighth, with Ferrari’s Rigon, Castellacci, and Flhor in between. Unfortunately, the Heart of Racing team dropped from first to tenth in their class due to late-race cautions.
UPDATE
The 2024 FIA WEC season ended in the worst possible way for Ferrari. Despite leading the race from the early stages, the trio of Antonio Giovinazzi, Alessandro Pier Guidi, and James Calado lost their podium finish at the 8 Hours of Bahrain. The penalty was issued late at night when the FIA and ACO released an official document stating that the Ferrari 499P number 51 had used two more tires than allowed by the regulations.
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