The #8 Toyota led a sister-car 1-2 to secure the World Endurance Championship manufacturers’ title, while Manthey Porsche claims its first LMGT3 victory of the season.

The #8 Toyota driven by Ryo Hirakawa took victory in the 6 Hours of Barcelona, leading a 1-2 finish and securing the Japanese marque the World Championship.

Toyota locks out the podium’s top step in Barcelona to secure eighth WEC manufacturers’ title

Toyota Racing delivered a commanding performance at the 6 Hours of Barcelona, with Sébastien Buemi, Brendon Hartley and Ryo Hirakawa leading home their #7 sister car to secure the Japanese manufacturer’s eighth FIA World Endurance Championship manufacturers’ title.

The #8 Toyota TR010 Hybrid crossed the finish line just 0.583 seconds ahead of the #7 entry of Nyck de Vries, Mike Conway and Kamui Kobayashi after six hours of racing that began in wet conditions before transitioning to a dry track. The result marked a third victory of the season for the #8 crew and extended its advantage in the drivers’ championship ahead of the season finale at Monza.

Genesis Magma Racing looked poised to challenge Toyota after an impressive qualifying session, with its GMR-001 Hypercars occupying first and third on the grid. Dani Juncadella briefly took the lead in the #19 car at the start, but a mistake at Turn 5 sent the Spaniard through the gravel and handed Buemi the advantage. Andre Lotterer’s #17 Genesis also lost ground as Toyota established control of the race.

Early safety car interruptions created opportunities for the field to adjust their strategies, but Toyota emerged in a commanding position. BMW’s attempt to gain an advantage by keeping René Rast on track in the #20 M Hybrid V8 backfired when a tyre-pressure infringement forced an additional stop and resulted in a 20-second penalty.

De Vries made significant progress in the opening stages, climbing from ninth on the grid to move the #7 Toyota into second place. The sister cars subsequently controlled the race, although the #8 crew had to recover from a five-second penalty for a start-procedure infringement.

Hartley responded with a strong stint as conditions improved, passing Conway after switching to slick tyres and restoring the #8 car’s position at the front. The Toyotas then built a substantial advantage over their rivals, with a later safety car following an incident involving an Aston Martin in the GT ranks doing little to alter the overall picture.

Ferrari’s #50 499P of Miguel Molina, Antonio Fuoco and Nicklas Nielsen emerged as the closest challenger, recovering from eighth on the grid to secure third place. However, the Italian manufacturer finished approximately 39 seconds behind the winning Toyota, underlining the pace advantage enjoyed by the Japanese marque throughout the event.

The #38 Hertz Team JOTA Cadillac claimed fourth after a late pit-stop strategy helped it move ahead of the #83 AF Corse Ferrari. The remaining factory Ferrari, the #51, endured a difficult afternoon after early promise in the wet was undermined by technical issues and lost time.

Genesis’ race deteriorated further as both cars struggled with off-track excursions and penalties, leaving the #19 in 11th and the #17 in 16th. BMW also saw its manufacturers’ championship hopes end, with the #15 finishing seventh and the #20 falling out of contention after its strategic and tyre-pressure setbacks.

Toyota’s Barcelona result leaves the drivers’ championship as an internal battle between its two crews heading into Monza. With the manufacturers’ crown secured, attention now turns to which Toyota pairing will finish the season as world champion.

Manthey Porsche breaks through for first season win as class championship battles head to Monza

The #92 Manthey Porsche 911 GT3 R Evo of Yasser Shahin, Riccardo Pera and Richard Lietz converted a strong performance into victory in the LMGT3 category, securing Porsche’s first WEC class win of the season.

The Porsche moved to the front during the opening stages and maintained its advantage as changing track conditions and strategic decisions reshaped the order behind it. Shahin established a strong foundation in the early stint, allowing the crew to control much of the six-hour contest.

The #10 Garage 59 McLaren 720S GT3 Evo of Antares Au, Tom Fleming and Marvin Kirchhöfer initially started from pole position but struggled to maintain its advantage in the wet. An early setback and a puncture interrupted its progress, although the McLaren recovered as the race developed.

The #69 WRT BMW M4 GT3 EVO emerged as a serious challenger for second place, with Dan Harper, Anthony McIntosh and Parker Thompson remaining in contention through the middle stages. However, Kirchhöfer produced a decisive late charge, overtaking Harper in the closing minutes to secure second for Garage 59.

The McLaren finished 4.750 seconds behind the winning Porsche, while the BMW had to settle for third. The result marked an important recovery for Garage 59 after its earlier difficulties and denied WRT a runner-up finish.

Behind the leading trio, the #34 Racing Team Turkey Corvette completed the top four, strengthening its position in the championship fight. The #21 AF Corse Ferrari finished ahead of the #61 Iron Lynx Mercedes-AMG, while the championship-leading #33 TF Sport Corvette could manage only seventh.

The #33 crew of Jonny Edgar, Ben Keating and Nicky Catsburg lost valuable ground after a delayed tyre changeover in the opening stages and a subsequent penalty. Despite the setback, the crew retains an 18-point advantage over the #92 Porsche heading into the final round.

The victory was a significant milestone for Manthey, which had struggled to reproduce its strongest form earlier in the campaign. It also continued the remarkable spread of results in LMGT3, with seven different crews winning across the first seven races of the season.

With the championship still undecided, the Barcelona result sets up a decisive showdown at Monza. Edgar and the #33 Corvette remain in control of the standings, but Manthey’s breakthrough victory and the competitive depth of the LMGT3 field ensure the title fight remains open.