Imola

World Endurance Championship

Marino Sato, piloting the #95 McLaren 720S GT3 EVO for United Autosports with Gregoire Saucy and James Wharton, delivered a competitive performance in the LMGT3 category at the 2025 WEC 6 Hours of Imola on April 20. The team’s weekend began with a 10th-place finish in FP1, where Sato set a 1:44.441 lap. Progressing to FP2, they climbed to 9th, with Sato improving to 1:44.073. By FP3, the team reached 7th, and Sato’s 1:43.514 lap.. This time carried into qualifying on April 19, securing 9th on the LMGT3 grid. 

Starting 8th in the race, the #95 crew maintained a steady pace, with Sato’s early stints keeping them in top-10 contention. However, a drive-through penalty disrupted their momentum, dropping them down the order. Despite a strong recovery in the final hour, the team finished 9th.

Ryo Hirakawa, delivered the strongest performance of #8 Toyota Gazoo Racing, alongside Sebastian Buemi and Brendon Hartley. The team’s weekend began with a 7th-place finish in FP1, posting a fastest lap of 1:33.706. In FP2, they dropped to 14th but improved significantly with a 1:32.266 lap, reflecting setup adjustments. By FP3, the #8 cars surged to 4th, with Hirakawa’s 1:31.743 demonstrating competitive pace. Qualifying on April 19 saw the team secure 6th with a 1:30.534 lap, advancing to Hyperpole at 5th. 

Starting 4th, the #8 Toyota ran strongly early in the race, maintaining a top-five position. Hirakawa’s stint was marked by consistent pace, keeping the car in contention despite fierce competition from Ferrari and BMW. A mid-race safety car period bunched the field, but the team navigated pit stops effectively. However, a late-race challenge emerged when a minor contact with a lapped GT car caused a brief off-track excursion, costing a few seconds. Despite this, the team’s recovery was swift, and they finished 5th.

Enjoyed reading so far? Don’t be shy, subscribe to us to read more about how Asians are faring in global motorsport 🌏🏎️💨

Kamui Kobayashi, delivered a determined performance in the Hypercar class. The team’s weekend kicked off in FP1 with an 8th-place finish, Kobayashi setting a fastest lap of 1:33.241. In FP2, they held 8th, with Kobayashi improving to 1:32.658, showing steady progress. FP3 saw a dip to 12th, but Kobayashi maintained his 1:32.658 lap, reflecting consistency. In qualifying on April 19, the #7 cars secured 5th in the Hypercar category, earning a Hyperpole spot.

Starting 5th, the #7 Toyota ran competitively early, with Kobayashi’s opening stint keeping them in podium contention. A well-timed pit strategy during a safety car period briefly elevated their position, but a mid-race incident involving contact led to a spin, costing valuable time. The team also faced a brief powertrain issue, requiring a quick reset in the pits, which dropped them further back. The team finished 7th in the Hyperclass category.