TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Roars its Way to First-ever Victory in Le Mans 24 Hours

Bolstering up its reputation for constant performance, TOYOTA GAZOO Competing has grabbed its second one-two success at the 2018 FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) period. In a securely dealt with race held recently, TOYOTA GAZOO Competing won the 86 th Le Mans 24 Hr, to take its first-ever success in the endurance event.

Sbastien Buemi, Kazuki Nakajima, and Fernando Alonso in the #8 TS050 Hybrid Electric Vehicle (HEV) began with pole position and took the chequered flag after 388 tense and commonly remarkable laps at the Circuit de la Sarthe in Le Mans, France to extend their lead in the champion.

Mike Conway, Kamui Kobayashi, and Jos Mara Lpez, who led for long periods in the #7 TS050 Hybrid Electric Vehicle, made it a perfect result for Toyota with second place in front of 256,900 fans.

The result is a culmination of intense and determined initiatives by TOYOTA GAZOO Racing associates from Higashi-Fuji and Cologne to consistently enhance its hybrid-electric technology, which won this race utilizing 35% much less fuel compared to in 2012 when it returned to endurance racing.

Talking about the win, Akio Toyoda, President, Toyota Motor Corporation, said: Thank you for driving all out! - Please let me guide these words to our drivers, that drove our cars for the lengthiest range at Le Mans, finally in our 20th challenge. At the same time, I would love to claim the exact same to our autos, completing 388 laps, about 5,300 kilometres. And thanks significantly for letting us and our drivers drive all out! - I intend to say this to all followers that have sustained us for a long time, our companions, and suppliers who have battled along with us, and all the team members and individuals pertaining to our team. I intend to reveal my sincere recognition to all." Hisatake Murata, Team President, TOYOTA GAZOO Racing, said: "I am so proud of every person in the group for this result. It has actually been our desire to win Le Mans, and lastly, we have achieved it.

Thank you so much to everybody for their extraordinary hard work, esprit de corps, and never-give-up perspective. To win Le Mans for Toyota after a lot of disappointments and dissatisfactions is an absolutely enchanting minute."

Both TS050 Hybrid Electric Cars were evenly matched throughout the 5,286-km race and swapped places a number of times during the event, which included its share of drama for the leaders.

Two stop-go charges for the # 8 car, as compared to one for the sister car, required an excellent night-time stint from Fernando Alonso to come back right into opinion on a day when all motorists performed exceptionally in a high-pressure environment.

A late fuel concern dropped the # 7 car off the lead lap, so Kazuki Nakajima took the chequered flag for the # 8 car with a lead of two laps. The # 3 rival car finished third, 12 laps behind.

After a nine-week break, TOYOTA GAZOO Competing will certainly go back to action on 17-19 August with the six Hours of Silverstone, the 3rd round of the 2018-19 WEC season.

Race Notes:
- TS050 Hybrid Electric Vehicle #8 (Sbastien Buemi, Kazuki Nakajima, and Fernando
Alonso)
o Position: 1st
o No. of Laps: 388
o Best Lap: 3'39;17.658
- TS050 Hybrid Electric Vehicle #7 (Mike Conway, Kamui Kobayashi, and Jos Mara Lpez)
o Position: 2nd
o No. of Laps: 386
o Best Lap: 3'39;17.980.