FIA WEC, 6 Hours of Fuji - Race Preview - Part 1 LMP1

1 AUDI SPORT TEAM JOEST M Audi R18 e-tron Quattro André Lotterer/ Benoit Tréluyer/ Marcel Fässler 
2 AUDI SPORT TEAM JOEST M Audi R18 e-tron Quattro Tom Kristensen/ Allan McNish
7 TOYOTA RACING M Toyota TS030 – Hybrid Alexander Wurz/ Nicolas Lapierre/ Kazuki Nakajima
12 REBELLION RACING M Lola B12/60 Coupé – Toyota Nicolas Prost/ Neel Jani
13 REBELLION RACING M Lola B12/60 Coupé – Toyota Andrea Belicchi/ Harold Primat
15 OAK RACING D OAK Pescarolo HPD – Dominik Kraihamer/ Bertrand Baguette/ Takuma Sato
21 STRAKKA RACING M HPD ARX 03a – Honda Nick Leventis/ Danny Watts/ Jonny Kane
22 JRM M HPD ARX 03a – Honda David Brabham/ Karun Chandhok / Peter Dumbreck

Two rounds to go and there might not be a manufacturers title still to go for, Audi won that some while back, but the Drivers title fight is still well alight with just 13.5 points separating the two Audi squads, and 52 still up for grabs.

If there were no confounding factor with a Toyota badge involved the maths would be simple – Presuming both Audi e-tron Quattros finish well the #2 crew MUST outscore the #1 squad to have any real prospect (other than a dnf for #1).  Indeed the maths there are interesting  - Two wins and two poles for the #2 car would definitely give Kristensen and McNish the title, beyond that the maths get very interesting indeed – Pole never meant so much in an endurance race!

Lotterer though knows Fuji like the back of his hand - He'll fancy a crack at pole surely?

Toyota though will be keen to spoil that private party, particularly here on home ground, Fuji is a Toyota owned facility and there can be few places on the planet where a home advantage is better served by data and track knowledge!

For the home town heroes it’s all about race wins, and Kazuki Nakajima is back to bolster the Wurz/ Lapierre combo that has sufficed in Brazil and Bahrain.

Bahrain was a disappointment for the Toyota squad, a track they thought suited them instead dished out heat related electronics issues for almost everyone, the Toyota finally crashing out after a perhaps ill advised clash between Lapierre and Danny Watts’ Strakka HPD when the two were battling for position.

Both the factory squads suffered early tyre degradation, an increasing concern for Audi in particular – On balance we’d say the pendulam has swung eastwards!

In the petrol powered privateers raced its still Advantage Rebellion, but Strakka reeled them in just a little in Bahrain, courtesy of a fine overall podium – With the customer cars exclusively engined by Japanese OEMs this could be another fine battle – HPD Honda vs TMG Toyota.

And the Honda numbers will be boosted with the reappearance of the now HPD engined #15 LMP1 Pescarolo.

Takuma Sato makes his sports prototype racing debut and might well make the returnee fly – certainly there are good prospects for a real battle with JRM looking to make amends for a troubled Bahrain run, Peter Dumbreck's local knowledge will be a massive boost there.

Whilst Strakka are looking to keep the pressure on the Lola Toyotas on track, Rebellion are already in a race against time to get the damaged #13 tub repaired, air freighted and built up on site in Japan to help secure the Privateers title.

A reasonable finish from either Rebellion may well be enough to nail the lid on this one – Even if Strakka win the sub class, a third for either Lola brings home the silverware.