After victory in the 6 Hours of Fuji, it was another race at the front for the #8 Toyota Gazoo Racing team. Anthony Davidson was instrumental to the teams win at the 2017 6 Hours of Shanghai as he returned to racing after the weather prevented him from running in Japan.
Davidson once again joined forces in the #8 with Sebastien Buemi and Kazuki Nakajima in China, and the trio regularly swapping the lead with the #7 car in the early stages. Buemi had fallen behind as the final pit stop, but late contact on the sister #7 car with a backmarker handed an easy victory to the #8.
Despite their work, the Toyota team would come away with a bittersweet victory as the Porsche LMP Team secured the teams title while the #2 machine of Earl Bamber, Brendon Hartley and Timo Bernhard clinched the drivers crown.
“It’s great to get a win again, after actually driving the car, unlike in Fuji!” said Davidson, clearly frustrated at the fact he had barely had the chance to guide the team to victory.
“I can properly celebrate this one. The car was great. We struggled a bit compared to #7 in qualifying but we had the best car in the race. I want to say thanks to our car crew because we had the right strategy and strong pit stops. That gave us the platform to win today.”
Hisatake Murata, Team President said it was a special feeling to come away from Shanghai with their fourth victory of the season, even if Porsche came away as champions in both the Drivers’ and Teams’ Championships.
“To win our fourth race of the season is a really special feeling,” said Murata. “Well done to everyone in the team for their great work this weekend. We were fastest in every practice session, we earned pole position and now we have won the race.
“I think we deserved the one-two and it was a pity to lose time right at the end of the race due to contact with a lapped car. Congratulations to Porsche on winning the drivers’ and manufacturers’ World Championship. We will keep fighting at the final race, when we want to finish the season with another win.”
