TOYOTA MAKES A COMEBACK AT FUJI, FERRARI LAGS BEHIND

Simone Marchetti Cavalieri

7 hours ago

3 min read

Buemi, Hartley and Hirakawa claimed victory in the third-to-last round of the FIA World Endurance Championship, winning Toyota’s home race at the foot of Mount Fuji. It was an incredible race, packed with twists and turns and hanging in the balance virtually until the final lap.

For most of the race, however, the two Alpines were the cars to beat, once again confirming the excellent chemistry between the A424 and the Japanese circuit.

After all, this was where the French prototype scored its first podium in 2024 and its maiden victory last season. This time around, everything appeared to be falling into place for another major result — potentially even a one-two finish — until a heavy LMGT3 crash with around 50 minutes remaining forced race control to deploy yet another Safety Car. The weather then added another variable, as a sudden rain shower further scrambled the running order.

Toyota, as so often happens in these situations, took full advantage, electing not to change tires and moving into the lead.

It was a major gamble, particularly with the track now damp, but one Toyota had to take if it wanted a shot at stealing the win. Behind the Japanese car was the #15 BMW, which had never really been a factor up to that point but stayed out on the same strategy as Toyota.

The two Alpines were right behind, with Milesi and Martins at the wheel, the latter running fresh soft tires. At the restart, the young Frenchman was allowed through by Milesi and immediately set off after the leading pair. After sizing up Vanthoor for a couple of laps, Martins swept past the BMW and set his sights on Hirakawa.

The comeback appeared close to completion when, after only a few laps, Martins found himself right on the Toyota’s rear wing. But the Frenchman had not accounted for an impeccable defensive drive from Hirakawa. Despite running on used tires, the Toyota remained extremely strong through Fuji’s final sector, allowing Hirakawa to build enough of a margin before the long straight, where the Alpine was able to claw some of that time back.

Martins kept pushing until the end but never found the opportunity he needed to complete the pass. Hirakawa held firm and delivered the victory for Toyota, while the Alpine driver, despite an outstanding final stint, had to settle for second place.

The #15 BMW completed the podium, undoubtedly helped by the final Safety Car given that its race pace had not appeared strong enough to match the frontrunners, despite some encouraging signs. The other Alpine finished fourth after seemingly having the victory in its hands before the neutralization, only to walk away with a bitter result just outside the podium.

The #38 Cadillac finished fifth, ahead of the #94 Peugeot, another major beneficiary of the final Safety Car. The second Toyota could only manage eighth after a race compromised by several incidents and a penalty.

The first Ferrari, the #51, finished only ninth and was never truly in contention at the front, much like the other 499Ps. The #50 appeared slightly more competitive, but a pit-stop issue initially compromised its race before the car ultimately retired.

Beyond the individual incidents, however, it was an undeniably lackluster performance from Ferrari. On a circuit where the 499P never appeared completely comfortable, the Maranello cars were surprisingly relegated to the sidelines in a race that saw nearly every other manufacturer spend time fighting near the front. More concerning than the final result itself was the feeling that Ferrari simply never had the pace to truly influence the race.

It was also a difficult day for the #20 BMW, which looked strong in the early stages before suffering a puncture that forced it into a lengthy pit stop. Aston Martin was equally unlucky, remaining in contention for the podium for much of the race before getting caught out by the late chaos. Genesis also had reason for disappointment, with both cars fighting for top-10 finishes before the final Safety Car and two penalties completely reshuffled the order.