Toyota driver Nyck de Vries says he needs to “put proper” final 12 months’s slim defeat to Ferrari within the 93rd working of the Le Mans 24 Hours.
De Vries, Jose Maria Lopez and Kamui Kobayashi crossed the end line in second within the #7 Toyota GR010 Hybrid, simply over 14 seconds down on the profitable #50 Ferrari 499P of Nicklas Nielsen, Miguel Molina and Antonio Fuoco.
The sister #8 entry completed down in fifth after Brendon Hartley was pitched right into a spin within the penultimate hour by the #51 Ferrari of Alessandro Pier Guidi, an incident for which the Italian was hit with a five-second time penalty.
Toyota achieved its final victory at Le Mans in 2022, earlier than the onslaught of latest producers in Hypercar class ramped up the competitors, however de Vries is optimistic of the Japanese producer’s possibilities of including a sixth win to its tally.
“After I take into consideration Le Mans, I take into consideration the historical past, how prestigious and essential this race is. We keep in mind who received Le Mans, and once you look again over the many years there are such a lot of nice names, so to change into a part of that may be a dream.
“It’s a race which is extraordinarily troublesome; to win Le Mans is tough, that’s why it’s so particular. Ending second final 12 months was a fantastic consequence however after such an extended race, with so many alternative feelings, it felt bitter-sweet, so we wish to put that proper this 12 months.”
Toyota’s particular Le Mans livery
© Toyota Gazoo Racing
Though Toyota has struggled in qualifying this season, like its 2024 title rival Porsche, the operational energy of the squad has allowed it to persistently end inside the highest 5 within the opening a part of the World Endurance Championship.
Hartley believes this key energy may serve Toyota properly in Le Mans subsequent week, because it celebrates 40 years since its maiden look at La Sarthe in 1985.
“We’re all pumped up for Le Mans,” he stated. “It’s Toyota’s fortieth anniversary 12 months and we’re prepared. We’ve been working virtually because the day after final 12 months’s Le Mans and we wish to be preventing for victory, that’s the objective.
“We all know there’s a huge process forward of us and we have to execute every step completely to be up there on the entrance.
“However I do know the group has labored so laborious for this, and we’ve already proven within the first three races how we will extract the utmost efficiency from our bundle, so we’re able to go.”
