The Latest Breaking News from Fuji

The Chip Ganassi run-factory team endured a nightmare outing at Fuji in September, with its sole Cadillac V.Series.R finishing 10 laps down on the winning Toyota after struggling for pace and losing a chunk of time repairing damage caused by a loose wheel.

The 31-year-old will take his usual place in Peugeot’s #94 9X8 line-up alongside Gustavo Menezes and Loic Duval in the eight-hour fixture at the Bahrain International Circuit on Saturday, having missed September’s Fuji event after injuring his left collarbone.

Earlier this month, Toyota wrapped up this year’s World Endurance Championship manufacturers’ crown with another convincing display on home turf at Fuji. It marks the fifth time in a row, and sixth in total, it has come away with the silverware, including the occasions when a teams’ title was awarded…

The #41 WRT ORECA-Gibson 07 shared by Kubica, Louis Deletraz and Rui Andrade dropped from second to sixth early on after Andrade was hit by the #23 United Autosports entry of Josh Pierson, an offence for which Pierson was slapped with a 10-second time penalty.

The Japanese marque's technical director Pascal Vasselon made the comment after wrapping up the 2023 manufacturers' title with a 1-2 finish on home turf, having overcome a stiff challenge from Porsche.

The Japanese marque's technical director Pascal Vasselon made the comment after wrapping up the 2023 manufacturers' title with a 1-2 finish on home turf, having overcome a stiff challenge from Porsche.

It made the claim despite its two 499P Le Mans Hypercars trailing home in fourth and fifth positions, a lap down on the Toyota GR010 HYBRIDs that blocked out the top two positions.

The #7 Toyota GR010 HYBRID of Kamui Kobayashi, Mike Conway and Jose Maria Lopez took the chequered flag 39 seconds clear of the sister #8 car shared by Brendon Hartley, Ryo Hirakawa and Sebastien Buemi, as the Japanese manufacturer celebrated its ninth WEC win at Fuji in 10 attempts.

The #7 Toyota GR010 HYBRID of Kamui Kobayashi, Mike Conway and Jose Maria Lopez took the chequered flag 39 seconds clear of the sister #8 car shared by Brendon Hartley, Ryo Hirakawa and Sebastien Buemi, as the Japanese manufacturer celebrated its ninth WEC win at Fuji in 10 attempts.

Vasselon, technical director of Toyota Gazoo Racing Europe, put the Japanese driver's advantage over team-mate Brendon Hartley down to his renowned qualifying pace and local knowledge of the Fuji Speedway.

Calado could only manage sixth in the best of the two Ferrari 499P LMH cars in qualifying for the penultimate round of the 2023 WEC season, 1.2 seconds down on the #7 Toyota that took pole with Kamui Kobayashi at the wheel.