TOYOTA GAZOO Racing takes on a record Hypercar field at one of the motorsport’s most spectacular circuits when the 2023 FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) makes its last stop before Le Mans, at the 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps on 29 April.
A total of 13 Hypercars will face off in Belgium in the third round of the 2023 WEC season, the final contest before June’s Centenary edition of the Le Mans 24 Hours, where TOYOTA GAZOO Racing will aim for its sixth consecutive victory.
The World Champions go into next Saturday’s race targeting a hat-trick of Hypercar victories at the start of the season after Sébastien Buemi, Brendon Hartley and Ryo Hirakawa won the last round, earlier this month in Portimão, in their #8 GR010 HYBRID.
“I think every driver looks forward to going to Spa; it’s in everyone’s top-five tracks. It’s a beautiful place with big elevation changes and a lay-out that flows very nicely. It also has an incredible history in endurance racing and there is always a big crowd, so it’s a special place.
“The Spa weather is legendary, and we have little experience with our updated GR010 HYBRID on the new rain tyres, so if it does rain there are a few unknowns. That would be another step in our final Le Mans preparations.”
A dominant victory elevated the #8 crew to the top of the World Championship standings but Mike Conway, Kamui Kobayashi José María López in the #7 GR010 HYBRID are only 13 points behind, despite suffering misfortune in Portimão on their way to ninth place.
Spa-Francorchamps is an iconic circuit with a rich endurance racing heritage and it was part of the very first World Championship calendar in 1953. TOYOTA GAZOO Racing has written its name in the Spa history books; in its 10 previous WEC races, the team has earned seven wins, including last year’s victory for the #7 GR010 HYBRID. It is unbeaten there in the Hypercar era.
The 7.004km circuit in the Ardennes forest is famed for its unpredictable weather and combination of exhilarating high-speed corners, which makes it a favourite for fans and drivers alike. TOYOTA GAZOO Racing can expect plenty of local support, with its Cologne base located 120km away, across the German border.
With the race beginning at 12.45 CEST on Saturday, the first two 90-minute practice sessions take place on Thursday. A final free practice on Friday morning is the last opportunity for adjustments prior to qualifying in the evening, which will set the 38-car grid for Saturday’s race.
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