WEC 100 helmets handed out
Alex Lynn and Eduardo Barrichello were presented with their commemorative WEC 100 helmets for scoring pole position for tomorrow’s 6H Fuji (featured).
“I saw it this morning on social media, and as I was lying in bed, I thought ‘I wouldn’t mind that!’ When I was younger, I didn’t use to keep trophies because I always had the mindset of it’s the next one that counts, but now I cherish these things a lot,” Lynn remarked during the post-qualifying conference.
Set up change key to #12 pole
Alex Lynn also revealed after the Hyperpole session today that Cadillac Hertz Team JOTA’s decision to tweak the #12 V-Series.R’s set-up was an important element in his ability to set pole by almost half a second for tomorrow’s race.
“Yesterday I didn’t have a good feeling with the car,” he said. “I thought a couple of other brands looked very fast, and I think we had to revert a little bit to a car that we knew for qualifying.
“I think we’ve made really big steps to the car in the race, but we went back to sort of our Sao Paulo-type car for qualifying. This morning in FP3, I had a much better feeling and confidence.”
Mann: #21 crew “need to be aggressive”
Vista AF Corse’s #21 crew will need to be aggressive than normal tomorrow to keep their hopes of a title alive, according to Simon Mann.
He and his teammates will start tenth on the grid in LMGT3, and crucially, behind the #92 Porsche, which sits ahead of them in the standings and will line up fifth.
“From the top five down, it’s tight,” he said. “We have a good race car, which is positive for tomorrow, as our long run pace is better than our qualifying pace. The Porsche and Corvette are ahead of us, so we need to focus on our main competitors. We have to think of the championship, so we need to optimise what we have.
“We need to be aggressive because we have ground to gain.”
Edgar “surprised” by Corvette pace
TF Sport’s Jonny Edgar was encouraged by the speed the #33 Corvette showed over a single lap today, after putting the car sixth on the grid and firmly in the mix for tomorrow’s race.
“We were all surprised,” he said. “In practice, the car felt good and better every session, but we weren’t that quick. We were surprised to make the shootout, especially as we usually make gains in the races.”
Realistically, Edgar and his co-drivers Daniel Juncadella and Ben Keating need to finish ahead of the #92 to ensure they have a chance to win the title in Bahrain. Currently, they are third and 29 points back from Manthey’s crew. Will this affect their strategy?
“To have a chance, we need to beat the #92 and have a different race, but we will just approach the race as we usually do.”
Pera satisfied with Hyperpole performance
Tomorrow has the potential to be a big day for Manthey 1st Phorm. With a 19-point lead in the championship and a starting grid position ahead of their title rivals, a clean, considered performance could be enough to either seal the deal or put the title almost entirely out of reach for their competitors ahead of the finale.
“It was a good quali,” Riccardo Pera said after his Qualifying run. “We have a good car for tomorrow too, which means this was not expected. We’re happy, it’s a good starting position, and for the championship, it’s good to be at the start. We can’t take any risks. We just need to check the weather and see what we can achieve.
“I would like to extend the championship lead again, but sometimes you have to just take the smartest and safest decision.”
Estre downbeat after “worst qualifying”
Porsche Penske Motorsport’s Kevin Estre was left frustrated after qualifying today in Fuji, in which he could only manage the 17th fastest time after a track limits violation and a lock-up at Turn 1 that cost him two push laps.
“It was my worst quali in WEC, or one of the worst in my career. I just didn’t put it together, made mistakes, and the car wasn’t the best. Julien in the #5 maximised everything and we didn’t. The grip was never there. There is not one big issue; it’s just me not doing the right thing and the car not being where we wanted to be.”
The sister #5 ended up seventh after Julien Andlauer’s efforts, which Estre says gives him encouragement that his side of the garage can turn things around tomorrow and salvage him and Laurens Vanthoor’s slim hopes of a second consecutive Drivers’ World Championship.
“This weekend they seem a bit better, it was also the case in Sao Paulo,” he added. “I am sure we’re going to be closer in the race, but it’s going to be tough to overtake. We have to be aggressive; we can’t wait for the others to make mistakes.
“We have to be smart; we always execute well, but when you start that far back with the way our car works, it’s not the best car to overtake compared to some other brands. We’re going to have to do something special to get up the front.”
Circuit safari returns
Prior to Free Practice 3, the cars headed out for the annual Circuit Safari session at Fuji, which sees the WEC cars lap the circuit at the same time as a line of buses carrying fans and media.
One change for this year was that the standard buses were joined by a hydrogen-powered bus.
WEC pitlane reporter Shea Adam was among those to experience the Circuit Safari from onboard for the first time. “Absolutely mind-blowing” was her response post-session. “I was told it was better than you could imagine it would be, and that was absolutely spot-on.”
Mustang engine change
Proton’s #77 Mustang is undergoing an engine change ahead of the 6 Hours of Fuji, following the water pressure issue that forced Ben Tuck to park the car in Free Practice 3. The car will start from the back after failing to make it out for Qualifying.
Hydrogen progress update
A press conference focused on the Mission H24 project took place this afternoon at the circuit. ACO President Pierre Fillon, TGR Europe’s Vice Chairman, Kazuki Nakajima, and Mission H24’s Technical Director, Bassel Aslan, shared an update on the progress made on the H24EVO prototype over the summer.
The H24EVO, which utilises liquid hydrogen technology, is scheduled to run for the first time in 2026 after key elements of its design are finalised in November and next February.
Fillon also reiterated that the goal is still to introduce a category for hydrogen-powered race cars in the WEC in “2028 or 2029”.
Sato and Sekiya come together
A McLaren press conference was also held today at the Fuji Speedway Museum, bringing together United Autosports driver Marino Sato and 1995 Le Mans winner Masanori Sekiya.
The two compatriots discussed the significance of McLaren’s triumph at La Sarthe and United’s breakthrough WEC win with the brand at CoTA 30 years on.
“The reaction to the win in Austin has definitely made my weekend schedule here a bit busier!” Sato told DSC. “It’s only once a year I get to race in front of a home crowd, and we look pretty strong. Along with that, to get to see Sekiya San is pretty cool; it’s been a cool experience.”
Spotted in the paddock
Amongst the personalities DSC spotted behind the garages today at the Speedway were Sheikh Salman Al-Khalifa, the president of the Bahrain International Circuit and FIA Presidential candidate Tim Mayer.
Image credits DPPI & Andrew Hall
