Subscribe

Sign up for free

  • Get quick access to your favorite articles

  • Manage alerts on breaking news and favorite drivers

  • Make your voice heard with article commenting.

Autosport Plus

Discover premium content
Subscribe
Race winner #7 Toyota Gazoo Racing Toyota GR010 - Hybrid: Mike Conway, Kamui Kobayashi, Jose Maria Lopez
Autosport Plus
Analysis

Why Le Mans didn't decide Toyota's WEC title outcome in 2021

Mike Conway, Kamui Kobayashi and Jose Maria Lopez scored a second successive World Endurance Championship title in the #7 Toyota, as its new Le Mans Hypercar went unbeaten. Autosport recaps how each of the four classes in the 2021 season were won and picks out the best LMH and GTE drivers

Toyota swept up the first brace of titles – drivers’ and manufacturers’ – at the start of a new era for the World Endurance Championship. It would be easy to say it waltzed to them as the only major manufacturer with a Le Mans Hypercar in a slim field. After all, it claimed 1-2 finishes in four rounds of the reduced six-event schedule. Yet for all its domination, the Japanese manufacturer could so easily have lost the biggest prize at the Le Mans 24 Hours.

No one outside Toyota Gazoo Racing knew during the French enduro quite how close the team was to missing out on a fourth straight victory. The world was aware that there were issues afflicting its pair of GR010 HYBRIDs, and that they were probably similar to the one that reared its head previous time out at Monza. TGR Europe technical director Pascal Vasselon’s talk of “creative solutions” to overcome fuel pressure problems straight after the centrepiece WEC round only hinted at the drama that unfolded in the final third of the French enduro.

Previous article Richard Mille not ruling out running male driver in 2022 WEC
Next article Audi's Muller lands WEC LMP2 seat with new Vector Sport team

More from Gary Watkins

Drugovich joins Vector Sport for European Le Mans campaign

Drugovich joins Vector Sport for European Le Mans campaign

ELMS European Le Mans
4 Hours of Barcelona
Drugovich joins Vector Sport for European Le Mans campaign Drugovich joins Vector Sport for European Le Mans campaign
Penske rules out chance of Indianapolis hosting WEC in 2025

Penske rules out chance of Indianapolis hosting WEC in 2025

WEC WEC
Losail
Penske rules out chance of Indianapolis hosting WEC in 2025 Penske rules out chance of Indianapolis hosting WEC in 2025
Lamborghini motorsport boss Sanna departs

Lamborghini motorsport boss Sanna departs

WEC WEC
Losail
Lamborghini motorsport boss Sanna departs Lamborghini motorsport boss Sanna departs
Cadillac and Ganassi to split after 2024 WEC and IMSA seasons

Cadillac and Ganassi to split after 2024 WEC and IMSA seasons

WEC WEC
Cadillac and Ganassi to split after 2024 WEC and IMSA seasons Cadillac and Ganassi to split after 2024 WEC and IMSA seasons
Newgarden not set to race Penske Porsche at Le Mans

Newgarden not set to race Penske Porsche at Le Mans

LM Le Mans
24 Hours of Le Mans
Newgarden not set to race Penske Porsche at Le Mans Newgarden not set to race Penske Porsche at Le Mans
Cadillac has no plans for customer Hypercars in WEC or IMSA

Cadillac has no plans for customer Hypercars in WEC or IMSA

WEC WEC
Losail
Cadillac has no plans for customer Hypercars in WEC or IMSA Cadillac has no plans for customer Hypercars in WEC or IMSA
WEC grid airfreighted back from Qatar to Europe to avoid Imola delay

WEC grid airfreighted back from Qatar to Europe to avoid Imola delay

WEC WEC
Losail
WEC grid airfreighted back from Qatar to Europe to avoid Imola delay WEC grid airfreighted back from Qatar to Europe to avoid Imola delay
How Porsche made the perfect start in WEC despite late drama in Qatar

How Porsche made the perfect start in WEC despite late drama in Qatar

Plus
Plus
WEC WEC
Losail
How Porsche made the perfect start in WEC despite late drama in Qatar How Porsche made the perfect start in WEC despite late drama in Qatar

Sign up for free

  • Get quick access to your favorite articles

  • Manage alerts on breaking news and favorite drivers

  • Make your voice heard with article commenting.

Autosport Plus

Discover premium content
Subscribe