TOYOTA Racing’s challenge in the Six Hours of Bahrain ended with an accident after an earlier technical issue had already denied the team a chance of victory in the sixth round of the FIA World Endurance Championship.

Following the win two weeks ago in Sao Paulo, the #7 TS030 HYBRID of Alex Wurz and Nicolas Lapierre led after two hours and looked in a very strong position. However, the lights went out on that victory bid soon after.

WEC regulations require the illuminated number on the side of a car to function throughout the race. The #7 car’s panel failed on both sides, forcing the team to exchange the parts which cost seven minutes.

A charging recovery in the desert darkness took the team from sixth to third, setting the fastest lap of the race in the process.

But contact with another LMP1 car in traffic terminally damaged the suspension of the TS030 HYBRID with just over an hour remaining. Nicolas was forced to retire at the side of the track.

Earlier, in afternoon sunshine, Alex took the rolling start from third place and immediately made progress, brilliantly taking second at the first corner. He then used his speed in traffic to take the lead with 13 minutes on the clock.

Alex and Nicolas cemented the TS030 HYBRID’s lead during the opening two hours as the sun set, however the illuminated number issue struck to drop the #7 down the field.

Nicolas immediately improved the fastest lap of the race as he began a charge which Alex continued, the pair steadily closing the gap on the lead Audis before the incident in traffic brought progress to an end.

TOYOTA Racing’s next action comes at Fuji Speedway for the Six Hours of Mount Fuji on Sunday 14 October when Kazuki Nakajima will return to action in the #7 TS030 HYBRID, resuming his position alongside Alex and Nicolas.

TOYOTA Racing took a popular pole position for its home race following a close qualifying session at Fuji Speedway in Japan, venue for the penultimate round of the FIA World Endurance Championship, the Six Hours of Fuji.

Kazuki Nakajima, who returned to the #7 TS030 HYBRID this week alongside Alex Wurz and Nicolas Lapierre, set the fastest lap of the afternoon, 0.140secs faster than the nearest challenger.

That result delivered the second pole position for TOYOTA Racing in its first five races and comes just a few kilometres away from the Higashi-Fuji Technical Centre where the TOYOTA HYBRID System – Racing is developed.

TOYOTA Racing’s home race saw a large and enthusiastic crowd cheering on the #7 TS030 HYBRID, and Kazuki answered the challenge with a brilliant second flying lap, having encountered traffic on his first effort.

After warm-up at 07.55 tomorrow morning, TOYOTA Racing will therefore be at the front of the pack for the rolling start, at 11.00.

TS030 HYBRID #7 (Alex Wurz, Nicolas Lapierre, Kazuki Nakajima)

Free practice 3: 1st (1min 27.567secs), 29 laps

Qualifying: 1st (1min 27.499secs), 6 laps

Kazuki Nakajima: “I am really happy to get this pole position at Fuji Speedway; it means a lot to me and the team. It was cool to see the reaction of everyone in the garage at the end of the session because we had big support and also big expectations as this is our home country, our home track. We saw this morning that the car was quick enough to fight for pole position and, even though I had a bit of traffic at the start of qualifying, I managed to get a clean lap. It is a good achievement but it is still Saturday; the race means a lot more than qualifying. It will be a tricky race, particularly because it is difficult to cope with traffic in the last sector. So we will have to be careful and make no mistakes. Our aim is to win the race; we will push hard.”

Yoshiaki Kinoshlta, Team President: “This is a fantastic result; we are so happy to be on pole position for our home race. Our TOYOTA HYBRID System – Racing was born very close to Fuji Speedway so we are delighted to deliver this result in front of our colleagues from Higashi-Fuji Technical Centre and under the shadow of beautiful Mount Fuji. We are all happy to see Kazuki back in the team and he did an incredible job; it was a really quick lap and he thoroughly deserves this pole position. I am very proud we could deliver such a strong result but we must remember this is only qualifying; our main target is to win the race tomorrow. We have made the best possible start and now we have to complete the job.”