Why did Alpine not capitalise on their speed and dominance after controlling the first five hours of the latest round of the FIA World Endurance Championship, the 6 Hours of Fuji, when both cars were set to take the top two spots on the podium?
It came down to race strategy and a late safety car intervention which saw TOYOTA Racing take the gamble of short fuelling their #8 TR010 Hypercar without a tyre change, when most of the field elected to put on fresh rubber. This propelled Ryō Hirakawa from sixth into first.
“The last few laps were really stressful,” commented Ryō Hirakawa (Driver, car #8). “The track conditions were quite tricky, and the Alpine was closing quite fast. I was able to manage it, so I’m really happy, especially in Fuji. It’s a really special feeling and also good for the World Championship.
“It’s amazing to be on the top step of the podium in front of our fans. “Of course, we always pushed to get a victory but until the last safety car, it didn’t look possible. The team did a great job on strategy. This win is for them.”
Watch the final dramatic six-minutes as the #36 Alpine A424 driven by Victor Martinschases down the #8 Toyota.
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