TOYOTA GAZOO Racing extend championship lead with Shanghai 1-2 finish

DENSO-sponsored team wins five of the last seven Shanghai endurance races

TOYOTA GAZOO Racing extend championship lead with Shanghai 1-2 finish

The DENSO-sponsored Toyota Gazoo Racing team continued its winning form at the 6 Hours of Shanghai on 16-18 November, recording a second successive 1-2 finish to clinch its fourth victory at the Shanghai International Circuit despite difficult weather conditions.

The Japanese team has now won four of the five rounds of the 2018/2019 World Endurance Championship, including the iconic 24 Hours of Le Mans in June.

The 1-2 finish helped TOYOTA GAZOO Racing extend its Championship lead over LMP1 category rivals, with the team currently sitting 28-points clear of the competition.

The 5,541 metre-long Shanghai International Circuit is known for its demanding technical sections and high-speed straights. With six hours of racing, top LMP1 teams covered over 615 kilometres (382 miles) despite the difficult conditions.

The race was tightly contested between the two TOYOTA hybrids, with the #7 TS050 HYBRID, piloted by Mike Conway, Kamui Kobayashi and José María López, finishing just 1.14 seconds ahead of the sister #8 car.

The #8 was driven by Sébastien Buemi, Kazuki Nakajima and F1 star Fernando Alonso, who narrowly missed out on the win following misfortune during a safety car period which cost them around 25 seconds.

DENSO’s OE parts have played a vital role in the team’s success. DENSO supplies TOYOTA GAZOO Racing with inverters, spark plugs and the rear Motor Generator Units (MGU) that help the TS050 HYBRID achieve an impressive 985bhp.

The Shanghai International Circuit suits the TOYOTA TS050 HYBRID well, with the team having now won four of the last seven races in China.

The next round of the World Endurance Championship is the 1000 miles of Sebring, taking place on the 15th March 2019 in the USA.

For further information about DENSO, click ‘more details’ below.

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