Toyota won the 6 Hours of Portimao and Miguel Molina was second

Toyota once again demonstrated its excellence at the start of the 2023 World Resistance Championship by achieving its second victory in two races. The first, at Sebring, was for the #7 Toyota ahead of its #8 ‘sibling’. And this time, he won #8 in the 6 Hours of Portimao. On this massive roller coaster route in the Algarve, the Japanese have lime and sand. The face is the triumph of the crew consisting of Brendon Hartley, Sebastien Buemi, and Ryo Hirakawa. Cross, whose car # 7, driven by Conway, Kobayashi and ‘Pechito’ López, suffered a breakdown that put him out of any match when he was the leader of the test after the first two hours of the race.

The Toyota 8 started from pole position, but Conway took the lead from the start with a good start. The #51 Ferrari also surprised, beating the Toyota 8 and the Ferrari 50 of Miguel Molina, who dropped to fifth place in the first few meters after being overtaken by another car from Maranello and the #6 Porsche.

Problem for Toyota #7 when leading

However, things are still changing a lot. First, they would quickly catch up, with Molina’s Ferrari 50, driven by Nielsen, regaining the spot from Porsche Penske and closing in on the #51 Ferrari, which was about to overtake it. And later, with the big surprise of the day. After two hours of racing (out of 6), the Toyota 7, the leader with its Japanese ‘brother’ on guard, suffered a driveshaft problem that forced Conway into the pits and lost 11 minutes in repair. He returned to the track with 7 laps lost compared to the leader and the chance to win was completely gone.

Thus, the Toyota 8, superior to the others, only had to manage its margin in the race, then half a minute compared to the Ferrari #50 of Molina and his teammates, to take the victory and lead the competition. And so he did, prioritizing the need to avoid any problem in order to achieve success.

Molina, second podium in two races with Ferrari

In second position will finish the Ferrari #50 of Miguel Molina, Nielsen and Antonio Fuoco, the second podium of said crew after the third place achieved in the opening round of Sebring. For its part, another red car, number 51, finished in sixth position, three laps behind the leader, after suffering a brake problem that caused the car to go into the gravel with half an hour to go.

Toyota warned that in the race the Italians could have better speed, but Ferrari could not do anything to collect a higher prize.

The Asians are still on top but the Japanese have a good reminder of the #7’s problems: if they fail in the next rounds, this time the Ferraris can take advantage of it. This lesson is especially important for the next one 24 Hours of Le Manswhere the current champions of the championship will seek a double in the centenary edition of one of the most important events on the planet.

At the next appointment, Toyota will get rid of the bitter taste in the mouth at what will be the start of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, in 6 Spa Hours held in just two weeks.

Podium for Porsche; Peugeot, 5th with his #94

The #6 Penske Porsche of Kevin Estre, André Lotterer and Laurens Vanthoor finished third, ahead of the #2 Cadillac of Earl Bamber, Alex Lynn and Richard Westbrook, who finished fourth, and the #94 Peugeot of Loic Duval , Gustavo Menezes and Nico Müller, who were 5th.

The #94 withstood the rigors of Portimao and that should be seen as a step forward for the lion brand after the mechanical problems it suffered on the hard asphalt of Sebring. In this second round, however, it was not all smiles for the French, as their #93 car suffered a setback on the way to the starting grid. Finally, the #93 Peugeot was able to start from the pit lane to finish in 7th position, with three laps lost.

The French must now continue to take steps forward in the quest to offer a great image in front of their compatriots at home, in the centenary of the 24 Hours of Le Mansa race where they will seek to eliminate both units to continue raising the bar for their young but ambitious project.