PREVIEW: 2024 FIA World Endurance Championship – 6 Hours Of Fuji

The 2024 FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) returns to a sportscar racing staple for the penultimate round in what has been an utterly thrilling championship. Set at the spectacular Fuji Speedway, the 6 Hours of Fuji will see Toyota Gazoo Racing fight on home soil to take control of the championship, battling for the title against Porsche Penske Motorsport and Ferrari AF Corse.

2024 has been a vintage year for FIA WEC. The six previous rounds have each been won by a different car, with victory honours being shared between pairs of Porsches, Toyotas, and Ferraris. Following an intense battle at the Lone Star Le Mans where the winning margin after 6 gruelling hours of racing was an astonishing 1.7 seconds, FIA WEC returns to Fuji for the 11th time. Set at the foot of Mount Fuji, the Fuji Speedway always draws a large crowd of passionate fans, the stunning scenery being surpassed only by spectacular on track action.

The Alpine lurks in the pits, ready to attack Fuji Speedway. Credit: Charly Lopez / DPPI

The circuit may well be the second shortest on the calendar (after Interlagos) but it features a wide range of challenges for the drivers. Most famously, the straight is 1.475km long, meaning the cars need low drag to achieve their top speed. In 2023, the #50 Ferrari 499P clocked the fastest speed of 333kph, almost 207mph. However, sector 2 in particular features some corners that require almost maximum downforce to get the most out of the car. The teams that can find that difficult balance will be the ones to beat come race day on Sunday 15 September.

Hypercar

Fuji is a very happy hunting ground for Toyota. Credit: Toyota Gazoo Racing

Coming into the Japanese round, home team Toyota Gazoo Racing seem to have the advantage. The #7 Toyota came within a whisker of winning the Lone Star Le Mans, and, at the previous round in Brazil, the #8 sister car was utterly dominant. As the most experienced team in WEC, they know how to get the most out of their cars as well as play the long game in endurance races. They also quite literally own the track. The hybrid powertrain of the Toyota GR010 Hybrid is designed, developed, and built at the Higashi-Fuji technical centre. The Japanese team has also won 9 out of the 10 previous WEC races in Fuji, including an impressive 1-2 finish in 2023.

“Everyone in the team is looking forward to our home race” explained #7 driver and team principal Kamui Kobayashi. “It is very important; after Le Mans, Fuji is the second most significant race of the season for us. As a Japanese driver and as a Japanese manufacturer, competing in Fuji is very important, plus it’s great to meet our Japanese fans. We have always been strong there and we have a fantastic record, with nine wins. Of course, we want to keep that successful run going in front of our fans, partners and colleagues.”

The #6 Porsche still has its nose in front in the championship. Credit: Porsche AG

The #7 Toyota crew are currently second in the drivers’ championship. Leading the way are the #6 Porsche Penske Motorsport drivers with a slender 12 point margin over their Japanese rivals. The team have been consistent podium finishers but suffered a knock to their lead in Texas when they finished 6th having started in 14th. The Porsche 963 enjoyed its most competitive outing of the 2023 season at the Fuji Speedway, battling with the Toyotas for a large portion of the race before having to concede victory. The German team will be hoping to build on that success and reclaim their championship lead in 2024.

Tied with them in 2nd place is the #50 Ferrari AF Corse. The team have had a somewhat bumpy journey in 2024. They won the most prestigious event of the year, the 2024 24 Hours of Le Mans, and the team have shown fantastic pace, challenging for victories several times throughout the year and locking out the front row in qualifying twice. However, the team have struggled to convert that pace into outright victory. The #50 car came 3rd in Texas while the sister #51 car had to retire early in the race. Ferrari are only 19 points behind Toyota in the manufacturers’ championship, but it is vital they get a good points haul for their chances of victory to survive.

The #50 Ferrari is still in the fight. Credit: Ferrari Media Centre

Nicklas Nielsen, the man who drove the epic final stint at Le Mans and secured victory for the #50 car, is realistic about the team’s prospects. “The goal in Japan is to win as many points as possible” he said simply. “The race will be challenging, not only because the track isn’t the best fit for our car’s characteristics, but also due to the formidable competition. This year, though, as well as winning at Le Mans we have continued to improve and get to know the 499P, so we line up confident and ready to do our best.“

BMW M Team WRT aim to build on their rapid pace. Credit: Julien Delfosse / DPPI

The rest of the Hypercar grid may not be competing for overall victory in the championship, but the racing has been superb and increasingly competitive throughout the season. BMW M Team WRT had a mostly fantastic race in Texas, competing at the front of the field, particularly their #20 car which was the only car in the Hypercar field that kept up with the mighty pace of the Ferraris for the first half of the race. Unfortunately a couple of penalties ended up pushing them out of the points, but the pace of the German car is clear for all to see.

The very distinctive Lamborghini SC63. Credit: Julien Delfosse / DPPI

Another team to impress in Texas was the bright green #63 Lamborghini Iron Lynx. The Italian squad makes its first visit to the Fuji Speedway full of confidence, having had a season full of learning and developing their distinctive Lamborghini SC63. Alpine Endurance Team have experience of racing at Fuji before, with Alpine Elf Team finishing 3rd overall in 2022. However, two years ago the Hypercar grid only had five cars in it, compared to the 18 we see today, a truly extraordinary example of how this fantastic series has grown in such a short time.

LMGT3

The LMGT3 championship leading #92 Manthey PureRxcing Porsche. Credit: Porsche AG

In LMGT3, the battle for the lead of the championship isn’t as close as the Hypercar battle, but that belies the intense, exciting action that the class has provided this season. With an unmatched podium finish at 5 out of 6 rounds, the #92 Manthey PureRxcing Porsche 911 GT3 R LMGT3 is relatively comfortable at the top of the standings. The team has stretched their lead to 28 points following a 2nd place finish in Texas, with the sister #91 Porsche in second.

Team WRT are another who have shown great pace throughout the year but unfortunately have struggled to convert that into consistent results. However, the #31 car is still in the fight, currently sitting 3rd in the standings. Sean Gelael, driver for the #31 car, is determined to keep the fight going. He described the Lone Star Le Mans as a “very up and down race. We finished in P5 and got some points, but unfortunately, we have been behind the two Porsches we are fighting for the championship. But we did not lose too many points, so I think it was damage limitations. We lost around 50 seconds in mistakes and unfortunate events. So obviously the potential is there, and we will fight again in Fuji.”

The #27 Heart of Racing Aston Martin won last time out in Texas. Credit: Javier Jimenez / DPPI

Following a fantastic maiden win at the Lone Star Le Mans, the #27 Heart of Racing Aston Martin Vantage AMR LMGT3 is right behind the #31 BMW. Just three points separate them in the battle for 3rd. The gap between the top four and the rest of the LMGT3 field is substantial, but that will not stop the rest of the grid fighting for victories and as many points as they can. In particular, keep an eye on the Iron Dames. With the speed of their car (they have achieved two pole positions so far with Sarah Bovy at the helm) and the experience of their drivers, they deserve to be much higher up the standings than 8th but have had perennial bad luck. Their determination will never be diminished so expect them to come out fighting in Fuji.

Up Next

The 2024 6 Hours of Fuji kicks off on Sunday 15 September at 11:00 (03:00 GMT). Followed The Checkered Flag for a full race report and driver reaction.