WEC 2024 result after Round 8: 8 Hours of Bahrain

Toyota Gazoo Racing completed a thrilling fightback to overcome challenges and retain its FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) title when the 2024 season came to a dramatic conclusion in the 8 Hours of Bahrain. What happened in round eight, and how did this WEC 2024 result affect the overall championship? Read on to find out.

Coming into the eighth and final race of this rollercoaster WEC season, Toyota had earned two outright victories and was lying second in the manufacturers’ championship. Crunching the numbers, this meant that a win in Bahrain would guarantee the title for the sixth successive season.

Fortunately, Toyota has a formidable record at the 15-turn, high-grip Bahrain circuit. The team has won nine of the last 12 WEC races, the last seven of which have been consecutive. Toyota was therefore determined to pull out all the stops and conclude the 2024 season with its eighth successive win.

WEC 2024 Round 8: free practice

With so much at stake, the team used the opening day to prioritise race performance and strategy, preparing the team’s GR010 Hybrids for the challenge ahead. Drivers, engineers and mechanics worked as one to maximise track time and fine-tune the cars for the abrasive Bahrain asphalt that is particularly tough on tyres. During the first three-hour practice session, Toyota drivers completed more set-up laps than any other crews, which resulted in solid, top-ten lap times.

Second practice began after sunset and in slightly cooler temperatures, similar to those expected in the second half of the main event. The first moments of this practice session were dedicated to qualifying settings, during which both crews recorded top-six lap times, before they shifted back to race preparation with more fine-tuning of the set-ups and tyre analysis.

WEC 2024 Round 8: qualifying

The clear focus of the previous day’s free practice resulted in the two GR010 Hybrids setting the pace in the short qualifying and Hyperpole sessions. Only two drivers – one from each crew – could be used for these duties. Nyck de Vries was chosen for the #7 car, given that he had earned a front-row start at the season opener in Qatar, while Brendon Hartley took on qualifying for the first time since Le Mans in the #8 car.

Both cars set their fastest times on their first flying laps of the 12-minute session, with the #7 initially leading a one-two finish. Later, Hartley dropped to fourth. But this was enough for both drivers to reach Hyperpole where the top ten competed for pole position.

Just ten minutes are available within the Hyperpole shootout, and the Toyota drivers wasted no time laying down the gauntlett. On new medium compound tyres, both de Vries and Hartley set blisteringly fast times – ones that their Hypercar rivals were unable to match. This front-row lockout earned the team an extra championship point and inched Toyota even closer to the top of the manufacturer standings.

WEC 2024 Round 8: 8 Hours of Bahrain

Starting from the first two positions on the grid and knowing a win would secure the manufacturers’ title, each car led at different points. But the team entered the final stages of the race with only one car on track, down in tenth place after suffering setbacks.

An incredible team effort and a dominant driving display saw Sébastien Buemi cut through the field to win the race in the #8 GR010 Hybrid he shared with Brendon Hartley and Ryo Hirakawa. In so doing they secured the team’s sixth successive manufacturers’ championship, six points ahead of its nearest rival.

At half distance, however, it appeared that the ending would be different. The #7 car had victory in its sights when it led at half distance but a fuel pump issue forced Mike Conway, Kamui Kobayashi and Nyck de Vries into retirement. The problem would have required a lengthy repair, so the team decided to prioritise victory and the overall championship.

The race had started strongly for Toyota when Buemi led away from pole. But after 18 minutes the team’s hopes suffered a blow when he was hit from behind by a GT car and spun down to seventh. Nevertheless, Buemi recovered to fifth before Hartley took over late in the second hour. Hartley and Hirakawa then battled against tyre degredation on their stints but made a determined effort to keep the #8 car in the top six. Two safety car periods early in the second half were instrumental in closing the gaps throughout the 18-strong Hypercar field.

When racing resumed with just over an hour remaining, Buemi was tenth but only 15 seconds from the lead. He then initiated an incredible fight back to revive the team’s championship dream, charging through the field to move into second after his final pit stop. Then with just over 30 minutes remaining Buemi completed his remarkable comeback drive by overtaking the lead car. Thereafter he quickly established a comfortable advantage and reached the chequered flag 27.539 seconds ahead. It was the #8 GR010 Hybrid’s second win of the season and the team’s tenth in Bahrain.

The Bahrain event concluded what had been an eventful 2024 season, which featured eight rounds and 72 hours of full-tilt endurance racing. During that time, Toyota accumulated five podium finishes, including three wins and two pole positions, and earned 190 World Championship points.

WEC 2024 result in Round 8: 8 Hours of Bahrain

WEC 2024: final manufacturer standings

Where is the WEC heading next?

The 2025 WEC calendar was announced during the weekend of the 2024 24 Hours of Le Mans, with the fixtures and order of events remaining unchanged. This means eight rounds across four continents, each of which is hosted by a different country. The following table provides the order of events in 2025.