The race-winning #8 Toyota GR010 HYBRID Le Mans Hypercar faced a significant setback during the closing stages of the eight-hour race in Bahrain. The Japanese manufacturer Toyota has now revealed that the car’s frequent pitstops were due to problems with the clutch.
Toyota Gazoo Racing Europe’s technical director, Pascal Vasselon, confirmed that the clutch issue became critical and affected the car’s performance. This glitch caused the car to lose precious seconds at every pitstop, allowing the second-placed sister car to gain an advantage.
During one of the pitstops, the team realized the severity of the problem. Vasselon emphasized that the issue had a significant impact on the car’s competitiveness and posed a threat to its chances of winning the race.
The Toyota GR010 HYBRID had initially demonstrated exceptional performance throughout the event. However, the clutch issues led to an unexpected turn of events, ultimately affecting their overall result.
Despite the setback, the team managed to secure victory despite the challenges they faced on track. Their ability to cope with the ongoing clutch problem and still emerge victorious highlights their resilience and skill.
Pascal Vasselon specifically mentioned that the team will be investigating the cause of the clutch issue to prevent it from occurring in future races. This incident served as a learning experience for the Toyota Gazoo Racing Europe team, prompting them to refine their vehicle further and minimize the chances of encountering similar problems in upcoming races.
The 8th Toyota GR010 HYBRID’s performance in the race reiterated its potential and hinted at a promising future for the manufacturer. With continued improvements and meticulous analysis of setbacks like the clutch issue, Toyota aims to solidify its position as a leading contender in Le Mans racing.