The Latest Breaking News on Leclerc: Verstappen should have been asked to give back lead in F1 Las Vegas GP

The Spaniard led every lap of a slow-burning race from pole position, and delivered a tactical masterclass to ward off a rapidly approaching Mercedes duo in the race's second half by employing Norris as a bodyguard.

Amid a series of qualifying simulations over the second half of the session as the sun began to fall, Ferrari elected to wait for the track temperature to drop a little more before sending both drivers out for their first attempts at an all-or-nothing flying lap.

Amid a series of qualifying simulations over the second half of the session as the sun began to fall, Ferrari elected to wait for the track temperature to drop a little more before sending both drivers out for their first attempts at an all-or-nothing flying lap.

Corvette was in the hunt for victory for much of the six-hour Japanese enduro, with the team’s sole C8.R enjoying multiple stints in the lead after Keating qualified the car on pole position.

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.

Practice began on a wet track following a brief shower earlier on Saturday morning, but conditions improved sufficiently for slick tyres to be fitted just 15 minutes into the session.

Practice began on a wet track following a brief shower earlier on Saturday morning, but conditions improved sufficiently for slick tyres to be fitted just 15 minutes into the session.

The Toyota GR010 HYBRID Le Mans Hypercars ended up 1-2 in the times during Friday afternoon's Free Practice 2, Sebastien Buemi in the #8 car ending up over a second clear of the Japanese manufacturer’s closest challenger. 

The Toyota GR010 HYBRID Le Mans Hypercars ended up 1-2 in the times during Friday afternoon's Free Practice 2, Sebastien Buemi in the #8 car ending up over a second clear of the Japanese manufacturer’s closest challenger.