Toyota’s Brendon Hartley exclusively told Motorsport Week that rival marque Porsche is ‘clearly the strongest’ competitor ahead of this year’s 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Hartley has good reason to see Porsche as the main threat heading into this weekend’s 92nd running of the classic enduro, with two out of three races won by a 963 hybrid machine in this year’s FIA World Endurance Championship.
Moreover, following the factory Penske-run #6 Porsches victory in Qatar and the historic triumph of the privateer #12 JOTA Porsche at Spa, the Stuttgart marque impressed with a one-two finish during Sunday’s Le Mans test session.
Still, despite touting Porsche as the early favourites, Hartley believes Toyota are in the mix among several rival marques in what is set to be an enthralling 24-hour spectacle starting on Saturday.
“It was a smooth test, we didn’t have any dramas on the car,” Hartley told Motorsport Week.
“Performance is hard to say, we were behind the Porsches.
“We don’t know what fuel loads and tyres and stuff they had but it looks like we could be in the fight with them.
“I mean they’ve been the strongest all year by far. Or clearly the strongest. But it looks like we might be in the fight.”
Hartley cited Ferrari and Cadillac being in amongst it as well, going as far as to say the American marque had the “fastest car on track” in 2023 before encountering issues.
“I think we’re going to see a very close fight at the front,” Hartley claimed. “That’s that’s my feeling from the test day.
“There’s a high chance we’re gonna see a fight coming down to the last hours between quite a few cars, which would be amazing.”
Whilst admitting Porsche looks to have the strongest package after the test day in which Hartley went third fastest in the afternoon to claim the ‘best of the rest’ tag aboard the #8 Toyota GR010 Hyrbid, the New Zealander reiterated his prediction of “tight fight” for Le Mans’ ultimate prize.
“[Porsche], they’re leading the championship, they’ve shown a good pace on the test day and they have six cars. So I think this makes them somehow the favourite, but at the same time I think there’s going to be a lot of cars faster,” Hartley explained.
“I think the Cadillac’s been very under the radar but I’m quite sure they’re going to be there in the race as well and there’s Ferrari as well.
“I don’t feel like there’s a clear, clear favourite.
“I’m very hopeful and optimistic it’s going to be a tight fight.”
