Khaberni - The Toyota Gazoo Racing Team concluded the 2025 World Endurance Championship, organized by the International Automobile Federation, by securing a grand victory with their first and second places in the 8 hour Bahrain race. Mike Conway, Kamui Kobayashi, and Nyck de Vries displayed exceptional performance on board the high-performance number 7 Toyota GR 010, successfully turning the pole position start into a victory and ensuring the team's ninth consecutive win in Bahrain. Meanwhile, their teammates, Sebastien Buemi, Brendon Hartley, and Ryo Hirakawa in the number 8 high-performance Toyota GR 010, completed this perfect achievement by finishing second just 19.378 seconds behind the crew of car number 7.
On this occasion, Akio Toyoda, president of the Toyota Gazoo Racing Team, said: "Congratulations to Mike, Kamui, and Nyck for their win at the Bahrain 8 Hours race. Thank you for your persistence and continued competition without giving up."
With the stands filled with spectators, the fans cheered enthusiastically as they raised the flags of the Toyota Gazoo Racing Team at the start and finish lines. The race began with Conway and Hartley leading first and second after a clean start from the front row. In the early stages, both high-performance Toyota GR 010 cars employed varying strategies between tire changes and refueling to boost performance at the beginning of the race. Midway through the race, both cars remained competitive; car number 7 maintained a steady advance, while car number 8 continued its strong performance.
Despite a brief setback early in the race, the crew of car number 8 showed strong determination and teamwork to regain their position; Hirakawa and Hartley drove outstanding stints that brought their car back to the front. At the lead, Kobayashi expanded the lead earned by car number 7 through a series of fast and disciplined laps before handing over the wheel to De Vries for the last eighty minutes.
The entry of the safety car in the final moments gave all cars the opportunity to make their final stops and prepare for a thrilling finish. Upon the restart, De Vries confidently controlled the pace of the race, while Buemi maintained stable performance to secure second place, completing the team's deserved double victory.
This victory marks the end of a challenging and achievement-filled season for the Toyota Gazoo Racing Team and gives the team a significant boost toward the upcoming 2026 season; they will return with the developed high-performance Toyota GR 010 and the same lineup, with Conway, Kobayashi, and De Vries continuing together for the third consecutive time, while Buemi, Hartley, and Hirakawa will enter their fifth season together.
Over the past years, Toyota participated in various motorsports, including "Formula 1," "World Endurance Championship," and "Nürburgring 24 Hours Endurance Race" through separate teams and entities within the company until April 2015 when Toyota established "Gazoo Racing." This was to unify all its motorsport activities under one name. Driven by the belief and motto "We gain experience on the roads; to build better cars," Gazoo Racing highlights the role of motorsports as a fundamental pillar of the company's commitment to developing the best cars ever. By leveraging years of experience gained under the harsh conditions of different motorsports competitions, Gazoo Racing aims to develop pioneering technologies and new solutions that offer everyone the freedom, adventure, and joy of driving.
Sports car enthusiasts can explore the Toyota Gazoo Racing car lineup at Toyota Central on Mecca Street. To follow the competitive atmosphere and know the outcomes of local, regional, and international races firsthand, interested parties can follow the official page on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
