On Saturday 14 November the 2019/20 FIA World Patience Championship season will come to an discontinue in the Middle East. With the destination of the LMP1 and LMGTE producer and the Group and Driver titles in LMP2, the 8 Hours of Bahrain could be the deciding round for who will capture the relaxation ones, together with the World Patience Drivers’ Championship titles in each and every LMP1 and LMGTE.
The slump in Bahrain will characteristic 24 autos accelerate by 15 teams and driven by 66 drivers from 22 different countries from across the globe. As in outdated years the slump will delivery in the slack afternoon, with the majority of the event taking attach below the floodlights in the barren scheme.
The LMP1 grid could be the final slump for the Toyota Gazoo Racing TS050-hybrid and can mild bring the LMP1 hybrid generation to a stop with the introduction of the Hypercar class in 2021. While the LMP1 teams title has already been won by Toyota, the 8 Hours of Bahrain will establish which of the two Toyota crews will seemingly be crowned as 2019/20 World Champions.
The crew of the no8 vehicle, Brendon Hartley, Kazuki Nakajima and Sebastien Buemi are currently on 175 aspects, 7 aspects forward of the crew of the no7 Toyota – Jose Maria Lopez, Kamui Kobayashi and Mike Conway. The EoT for the final slump favours the no7 vehicle so there is all to play for in Bahrain.
Must the no7 Toyota capture the slump and the world title, Jose Maria Lopez, who won the WTCC title in 2014, 2015 and 2016 with Citroen, would be half of Fernando Alonso and Petr Solberg as drivers who maintain won FIA World Championships in two different disciplines.
Bahrain will also gaze a fraught three-formula title fight for the LMGTE FIA World Patience Drivers’ Championship between the two Aston Martin Racing no95 and no97 crews, as properly because the no51 AF Corse Ferrari 488 GTE Evo entry.
Following three wins already this season, Marco Sørensen and Nicki Thiim currently high the leaderboard – 15 aspects forward of 24 Hours of Le Mans winners Alex Lynn and Maxime Martin in the sister Aston Martin Vantage AMR. On the opposite hand, there is mild a mathematical chance for 2017 Champions James Calado and Alessandro Pier Guidi to capture the drivers’ trophy also can mild either of the AMR entries falter – the duo are currently 26 aspects adrift of the lead.
After taking victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in September, the no22 United Autosports Oreca-Gibson secured the LMP2 title with one slump remaining, with Phil Hanson and Filipe Albuquerque taking a tantalizing treble of FIA WEC, 24 Hours of Le Mans and European Le Mans Sequence driver titles in the an identical season.
On the opposite hand, the fight for second and third positions in the championship is huge initiate with a total of four teams mild eligible for podium locations. JOTA is the entrance-runner with an 18-level lead over nearest competitors Racing Group Nederland nonetheless with a maximum of 39 aspects mild on provide in Bahrain, Jackie Chan DC Racing and Signatech Alpine Elf are all mild inner attain.
At last, LMGTE Am sees a wholesome field of ten entries for the WEC season finale and each and every the group of workers and driver titles are mild to be decided.
TF Sport (No. 90 Aston Martin Vantage AMR) and AF Corse (No. 83 Ferrari 488 GTE Evo) will whisk head-to-head with appropriate eight aspects between them. TF Sport drivers Charlie Eastwood, Jonny Adam and Salih Yoluc are also main the battle for the Drivers’ trophy on the energy of their Le Mans capture. On the opposite hand, they face stiff competition from 2016 Champions Emmanuel Collard and François Perrodo, at the side of Nicklas Nielsen, who’re appropriate eight aspects in the encourage of.
The 8 Hours of Bahrain takes attach on Saturday 14 November with Free Observe and Qualifying on Thursday 12 and Friday 13 November.
CLICK HERE for the Championship Positions after Spherical 7, the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
0 Comments