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Anthony Davidson / Sébastian Buemi / Kazuki Nakajima – ’16 Toyota TS050 Hybrid (LMP1)

“Winner of the 23:55 hours of Le Mans”, that is all the glory Toyota can take from the 2016 24 Hours of Le Mans. Toyota brought all their potential to Le Mans that year with the Team Gazoo Racing outfit. Their goal was simple: finally take victory in the longest and arguably the most challenging race in the world. Development had been running overtime ever since they announced their return to Le Mans in 2011, hoping to reproduce the victory in the GT-one class of more than a decade ago.

Everything seemed to go their way in 2016 for the #5 Toyota TS050 Hybrid. The Audi R18 TDI didn’t seem competitive enough to maintain the pace through the night, but the #2 Porsche 919 Hybrid was still breathing in their neck.

As the final hour approached, the Toyota and Porsche were in the same lap, only one and a half minute apart after 23 hours. The Toyota was in the lead though and looked set to ease the car back home. After 23 hours and 55 minutes, Toyota’s dream shattered as the driver Kazuki Nakajima reported a severe loss of power under acceleration. Disbelieve overwhelmed Team Gazoo Racing as a the #5 TS050 slowed down to a halt on the start/finish straight. An obstruction between the turbo compressor and the inlet manifold.
Porsche could not believe their luck as the #2 919 Hybrid of Marc Lieb, Romain Dumas and Neel Jani passed the stranded Toyota on the last lap and collected the victory that slipped through Toyota’s fingers.

Description
Anthony Davidson / Sébastian Buemi / Kazuki Nakajima – ’16 Toyota TS050 Hybrid (LMP1)

“Winner of the 23:55 hours of Le Mans”, that is all the glory Toyota can take from the 2016 24 Hours of Le Mans. Toyota brought all their potential to Le Mans that year with the Team Gazoo Racing outfit. Their goal was simple: finally take victory in the longest and arguably the most challenging race in the world. Development had been running overtime ever since they announced their return to Le Mans in 2011, hoping to reproduce the victory in the GT-one class of more than a decade ago.

Everything seemed to go their way in 2016 for the #5 Toyota TS050 Hybrid. The Audi R18 TDI didn’t seem competitive enough to maintain the pace through the night, but the #2 Porsche 919 Hybrid was still breathing in their neck.

As the final hour approached, the Toyota and Porsche were in the same lap, only one and a half minute apart after 23 hours. The Toyota was in the lead though and looked set to ease the car back home. After 23 hours and 55 minutes, Toyota’s dream shattered as the driver Kazuki Nakajima reported a severe loss of power under acceleration. Disbelieve overwhelmed Team Gazoo Racing as a the #5 TS050 slowed down to a halt on the start/finish straight. An obstruction between the turbo compressor and the inlet manifold.
Porsche could not believe their luck as the #2 919 Hybrid of Marc Lieb, Romain Dumas and Neel Jani passed the stranded Toyota on the last lap and collected the victory that slipped through Toyota’s fingers.