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Race for WEC title begins to heat up at the foot of Mt Fuji

Last year's race ran in the rain. Mt. Fuji is a very wet place in October
Last year's race ran in the rain. Mt. Fuji is a very wet place in October

Porsche Preview
On October 14-16 it's time for the seventh out of nine rounds of the FIA World Endurance Championship. For Porsche the six-hour event at the Fuji International Speedway kicks off as the race for its mission to defend its title hots up. After five race wins for the 919 Hybrid – including the Le Mans 24 Hours – Porsche leads the manufacturers' world championship with 238 points ahead of Audi (185) and Toyota (137). In the drivers' world championship, the trio of Romain Dumas (FR), Neel Jani (CH) and Marc Lieb (DE) top the standings with 130 points. They have an advantage of 37.5 points over the best Audi trio and half a point more to the best placed Toyota drivers. Mathematically, but only if there were special circumstances, a title decision in Japan would be possible. A race win is rewarded with 25 points, and this is the jackpot the crew of the sister Porsche took three times in a row: this way Timo Bernhard (DE), Brendon Hartley (NZ) and Mark Webber (AU) propelled themselves to fourth place (78.5 points) in the championship.

The Speedway at the foot of the picturesque stratovolcano is very demanding when it comes to set-up work. On the 1.5-kilometre long straight minimum drag is required. But through the 16 corners, that are partly very tight, of the 4.549 kilometer short track downforce is needed. Aerodynamic amendments are limited in the WEC. Fine tuning for the track can be difficult and the competition in the top category of the class one Le Mans prototypes is extremely tight. The smallest advantage or disadvantage may decide the overall victory.

The Weissach developed Porsche 919 Hybrid produces a system power of over 900 HP (662 kW). Its combustion engine is a ground breaking downsizing motor: the very compact two-liter V4 turbocharged petrol engine drives the rear axle with almost 500 PS (368 kW). Two different energy recovery systems – brake energy from the front and exhaust energy – feed a lithium ion battery that, on command, passes on the energy to an E machine to power the front axle with an extra boost of over 400 PS (294 kW).

"The competition in LMP1 is breath taking," said Fritz Enzinger, Vice President LMP1. "At our most recent race in Austin, again all three manufacturers involved made it onto the podium. The general framework, such as changing track temperatures, lead to decisive performance differences. We also face an ever present risk in traffic, when the fast prototypes lap the GT cars. Looking at the points standings, we are on target to defend both our world championship titles. But in a total of 18 hours of racing that remain just everything can happen."

Team Principal Andreas Seidl added: "Generally speaking, we can expect cooler temperatures in Fuji than we had recently in Austin and this should help. Also the 919 with its relatively high downforce should be strong in the corners that are the challenging parts of the circuit. In 2015 we had some heavy rain in Japan. At this time of the year this can easily happen again, but our team has proved that we are able to handle difficult situations as well."

Quotes before the race:

Drivers Porsche 919 Hybrid number 1
Timo Bernhard (35, Germany): "For the car's set-up you have to balance what is needed on the long straight, the speedy first sector and the winding final part of the lap. Also the surface is rather slippery. At turn 13 you cannot see the point where you have to turn in. This one and the next two corners you take by feeling, constantly trying to improve your racing line there. Given how tight competition is in our championship, the question is always who manages to get everything perfectly right. It is small things that swing the pendulum towards one or the other manufacturers. For me it is a great joy to be part of our forceful crew."

Brendon Hartley (26, New Zealand): "We go to Japan with good momentum after three wins on the trot for car number 1. Fuji is a track I enjoy and it's a track that has produced great racing over the last years in the WEC. I expect another tough fight, and our goal and focus is to continue our winning streak."

Mark Webber (40, Australia): "I've always enjoyed racing there with Mount Fuji providing such a spectacular backdrop. In the last two years we received a very warm welcome from the fans. Fuji is a unique circuit. It's a short lap and technical with a mix of slow and quick corners, and a very long straight. It's a challenge and not easy to get everything together. The last sector is tight and twisty, which I actually really like and it suits our 919 very well with the four-wheel drive. We want to keep the run going with car number 1."

Drivers Porsche 919 Hybrid number 2
Romain Dumas (38, France): "We have a good car, it's going well for Porsche and I hope it continues like this. Our car crew would love to have a luckier race next time, but we can't complain as we are leading the championship by quite a good margin. I'm looking forward to seeing the Japanese fans again. They love motorsport and that is good fun."

Neel Jani (32, Switzerland): "Now the final spurt of the world championship kicks off, and in Japan we want to stabilize our leading position. That's the most important thing for me. In the recent three races the luck wasn't really on our side, but no such runs last forever. In 2015 we were very strong with our 919 Hybrid in Fuji and in the end we allowed the sister car to win the race. It would be nice to make up for this and win the race this year."

Marc Lieb (36, Germany): "I like going to Fuji. The atmosphere is always great and the competition is super exciting. This season all the different LMP1 cars have revealed individual strengths and weaknesses on different circuits. The Fuji Speedway is neither a classic high downforce track nor a typical low downforce circuit. I think our 919 definitely should be good through the twisty parts. For the long straight we have to slim the aero a little bit, as far as this is possible within the rules."

Toyota Preview

TOYOTA GAZOO Racing competes on home ground this weekend when the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) makes its annual trip to Japan for the 6 Hours of Fuji.

The seventh round of the 2016 season is held at the TOYOTA-owned Fuji Speedway, located just a few kilometers from the Higashi-Fuji Technical Centre, where the 1,000hp TOYOTA HYBRID System – Racing is developed and built.

TOYOTA approaches its home race in positive mood following another podium finish and close fight for victory in the last race, at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas.

Stephane Sarrazin, Mike Conway and Kamui Kobayashi in the #6 TS050 HYBRID were part of a three-way fight for victory that day, and will be looking to reclaim second place in the drivers' World Championship at Fuji.

Anthony Davidson, Sebastien Buemi and Kazuki Nakajima have endured an unfortunate season so far, but travel to Fuji aiming to challenge for victory in their #5 TS050 HYBRID.

TOYOTA has a very strong record on home ground, having won three consecutive races at Fuji Speedway from 2012-2014 making it the team's most successful circuit on the WEC calendar. After podium finishes in four of the six races so far this season, a return to winning ways in Japan is top of the agenda this weekend.

Although the current WEC series has raced at Fuji since 2012, the circuit is legendary in sportscar circles, having held the first 1000km of Fuji in 1967. Iconic TOYOTA cars, such as the 2000GT and TOYOTA 7, proved their performance by winning on the famed circuit close to Mount Fuji.

Fuji Speedway itself, located around 110km from central Tokyo, has evolved significantly since its opening in 1965, when a banked oval-style section began at the first corner and made up half of the track length until a redesign in the mid-1970s.

Nowadays, the circuit's most striking characteristic is the long main straight which, at 1,475m, is the second longest on the WEC calendar after the Mulsanne Straight at Le Mans. Combined with a particularly tight and twisty final sector of the lap, this gives engineers and drivers a challenge to find the best compromise on car set-up.

Preparations for the race will begin on Friday with two 90-minute practice sessions, while the grid order is determined on Saturday with a short qualifying. The race will be held entirely in daylight, beginning at 11am local time.

Toshio Sato, Team President: "As our home event, Fuji Speedway is one of the highlights of our season. It is wonderful to see the enthusiasm of the Japanese fans and we are very proud to see so many supporting TOYOTA. We have been able to show the increased competitiveness of the TS050 HYBRID's ultra-high-downforce aerodynamic package in Mexico and Austin so we are looking forward to being in another close fight in Fuji. In Fuji, we have the extra support of our colleagues from Higashi-Fuji who work so hard all year to provide an efficient powertrain. So as the TOYOTA GAZOO Racing team, we are more motivated than ever to fight and deliver another strong performance."

Anthony Davidson (TS050 HYBRID #5): "I'm really looking forward to Fuji. It's a track I like a lot and it's special because it's TOYOTA's home race. I'm sure a lot of Japanese fans will come to watch the race and support us as usual; that makes us feel welcome and motivates us to give them a strong performance. I hope we will finally have a bit more luck with car #5; I would really enjoy being back on the podium, especially in Fuji in front of our home crowd."

Sebastien Buemi (TS050 HYBRID #5): "It's great to race again in Fuji. It's our home race and it's a track where the team has won three out of four times; hopefully we'll have a good opportunity to fight for the win again. I think we will be able to show a good performance and I hope we will have better luck. I'm looking forward to experiencing the great atmosphere with all the TOYOTA employees and fans."

Kazuki Nakajima (TS050 HYBRID #5): "It's always nice to go back to our home track. There will be a lot of fans as usual and the atmosphere is always fantastic. We will be giving everything to compete again and, considering the championship situation, we have nothing to lose. We will be racing as hard as possible and will do our best to get back on the podium for the Japanese fans."

Stephane Sarrazin (TS050 HYBRID #6): "We have had two strong races in North America with the #6 car, especially being so close to the win in Austin. So the target for Fuji is clear; we want to perform strongly again and fight for the win. We always go to Fuji wanting to win because it's our home race and we get so much support there. The track should be even more suited to our car than Austin so I am optimistic."

Mike Conway (TS050 HYBRID #6): "Fuji is one of my favorite races because the fans are so special; racing in Japan as a TOYOTA driver is a great experience. I'm feeling positive about this weekend because we have made big progress since Nürburgring and I think Fuji could be another step again. I've enjoyed being on the podium in the last two races so I want to be back there again on Sunday."

Kamui Kobayashi (TS050 HYBRID #6): "This will be my first race in Japan as a TOYOTA works driver so it should be a nice experience. I've already raced at Fuji Speedway once this season in Super Formula; it will be interesting to experience for the first time in an LMP1 car. We are going there with good motivation because we are very close to the others. Of course as it is our home race we want a strong result."

FORD Preview

The Ford GT will make its first ever appearance in Japan this weekend when the two Ford Chip Ganassi Racing GTs compete in Round Seven of the FIA World Endurance Championship at Fuji Speedway.

The IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship concluded recently with the #67 Ford GT taking the runner up spot in the driver's and teams' championship and Ford taking second place in the battle of the manufacturers.

With just three more WEC rounds remaining it is vital to score points at each round of the championship in order to finish the Ford GT's first season in the WEC on a strong note.

"It was great to see the IMSA Ford Chip Ganassi Racing team fight until the end at Petit Le Mans," said Dave Pericak, Ford Performance global director. "The second place finish is a fantastic way to end our debut season with the Ford GT in North America. We have three races left for the Ford GT in 2016 and we are going to give it everything we've got in Japan, China and Bahrain to finish off the WEC season."

The #66 Ford GT will be raced at the ‘6 Hours of Fuji' by its regular crew of Germany's Stefan Mücke and Frenchman Olivier Pla. Currently in sixth place in the driver's championship, the duo will be on the hunt for the points they need to pull them up the order.

"I'm really looking forward to Fuji and to Japan," Mücke said. "It is a very interesting track and I really enjoy the culture of the country. Fuji is a challenging circuit as you have a very long straight, a high-speed middle section and a technical last section. Finding the right set up and compromise is one of the main targets during the practice sessions but I'm pretty sure the corners will suit our car. I can't wait to get out there and fight for a podium result."

In the #67 Ford GT, Britons Andy Priaulx and Harry Tincknell are also looking for a good finish to move them up from ninth place in the driver's championship standings.

"This will be my first time at Fuji but I've done my homework on the simulator," Tincknell said. "The first two sectors are quite high speed so that should really suit the Ford GT. It looks like a really flowing track and that should play to our strengths. I'm setting a personal target of three podiums in the last three races and obviously that starts at Fuji. We're going for the win absolutely but we need that consistency of three strong results to finish the season."

The 6 Hours of Fuji takes place at 11:00 local time (04:00 CET) on Sunday, Oct. 16, with a 20-minute qualifying session getting underway at 14:00 local time (07:00 CET) on Saturday, Oct. 15.