After a good start to the season for Toyota with two wins in the UK and Belgium, the Japanese manufacturer returned to the top step of the podium in Japan securing victory over Porsche at home.  However, with just two races remaining, Porsche still hold the upperhand in the 2017 LMP1 FIA World Endurance Manufacturer’s Championship. 

With a 58.5 point advantage over Toyota, Porsche just need to finish with a 45 point lead after the 6 Hours of Shanghai to secure their third world title in three years.

1           Porsche               270

2           Toyota                 211.5

In the LMP FIA World Endurance Driver’s Championship Brendon Hartley, Earl Bamber and Timo Bernhard stumbled in Japan, finishing fourth in the 6 Hours of Fuji after starting the race from pole position.  With Sebastien Buemi and Kazuki Nakajima (and Anthony Davidson) taking 25 points for the win, the lead margin was cut to 39 points after seven races. 

However Hartley, Bamber and Bernhard just need to finish with a 27 point lead over their rivals to take the 2017 world crown, which will be the second time for Hartley and Bernhard (they won the 2015 title) and a first for 2015 24 Hours of Le Mans Champion Earl Bamber.

1           Brendon HARTLEY             Porsche Team                       172

1           Earl BAMBER                     Porsche Team                       172

1           Timo BERNHARD               Porsche Team                       172

2           Kazuki NAKAJIMA              Toyota Gazoo Racing            133

2           Sébastien BUEMI               Toyota Gazoo Racing            133

3           Anthony DAVIDSON           Toyota Gazoo Racing            118

4           André LOTTERER              Porsche Team                       98

4           Neel JANI                           Porsche Team                       98

4           Nick TANDY                       Porsche Team                       98

5           Kamui KOBAYASHI            Toyota Gazoo Racing            78.5

5           Mike CONWAY                   Toyota Gazoo Racing            78.5 

6           Ho-Pin TUNG                     Jackie Chan DC Racing         70.5

6           Oliver JARVIS                    Jackie Chan DC Racing         70.5

6           Thomas LAURENT             Jackie Chan DC Racing         70.5

The 2017 GT FIA World Endurance Manufacturers Championship saw Ferrari extend their lead after seven races with another victory in Japan.  The Italian manufacturer now has 238 points, 47 points ahead of Porsche, the German manufacturer moving ahead of Aston Martin and Ford after a double podium finish at the end of the 6 Hours of Fuji.  

Ferrari need to be 45 points ahead of their nearest rivals on Sunday night to win the first GT FIA World Endurance Manufacturers Championship.

1           Ferrari                    238

2           Porsche                 191

3           Aston Martin           176

4           Ford                       175.5

A third win of season in Japan put Alessandro Pier Guidi and James Calado at the head of the 2017 GT FIA World Endurance Drivers Championship five points ahead of Fred Makowiecki and Richard Lietz. The Ferrari duo are on 120 points, with the Porsche crew on 115. 

Davide Rigon is on 105.5 points, which his teammate Sam Bird is currently on 105.  Former championship leaders Andy Priaulx and Harry Tincknell are still in the hunt on 102.5 points, with 52 points still available from the last two races in Shanghai and Bahrain.

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1           Alessandro PIER GUIDI         Ferrari                    120

1           James CALADO                    Ferrari                    120

2           Frédéric MAKOWIECKI         Porsche                 115

2           Richard LIETZ                       Porsche                 115

3           Davide RIGON                       Ferrari                    105.5

4           Sam BIRD                             Ferrari                    105

5           Andy PRIAULX                      Ford                       102.5

5           Harry TINCKNELL                 Ford                       102.5

FIA World Endurance Trophy – LMP2

A return to the podium for the first time since round 4 in Germany has kept the no38 Jackie Chan DC Racing Oreca at the top of the leader board but victory in Japan for the no31 Vaillante Rebellion Oreca-Gibson has closed the gap to just 10 points with two races of the 2017 season remaining.

Ho-Pin Tung, Oliver Jarvis and Thomas Laurent are currently on 145 points, with Bruno Senna and Julien Canal on 135 points.  Second place in the 6 Hours of Fuji for the no36 Signatech Alpine Matmut Oreca means the French team are on 120 points, with Gustavo Menezes, the only member of the driver crew to have completed seven races in the car this season, on the same amount in 3rd place.

1           Ho-Pin TUNG                        145

1           Oliver JARVIS                       145

1           Thomas LAURENT                145

2           Bruno SENNA                       135

2           Julien CANAL                        135

3           Gustavo MENEZES               120

4           Nicolas PROST                     117

1           38 Jackie Chan DC Racing    145

2           31 Vaillante Rebellion            135

3           36 Signatech Alpine Matmut   120

4           24 CEFC Manor TRS Racing  73

FIA World Endurance Trophy – LMGTE Am

A debut victory for the no54 Spirit of Race Ferrari F488 in Japan meant that the top three teams in the LMGTE Am section were fighting over the minor points at the end of the 6 Hours of Fuji.   Third place in Japan put Christian Ried Marvin Dienst and Matteo Cairoli at the head of the driver’s championship by just one point from the no98 Aston Martin Racing crew of Paul Dalla Lana, Mathias Lauda and Pedro Lamy. 

However in the team championship it is the no61 Clearwater Racing Ferrari that holds a slender 2- point advantage over the no77 Dempsey Proton Racing Porsche and 3 points ahead of the no98 Aston Martin.

With 52 points still available, the LMGTE Am title will go down to the wire in Bahrain.

1           Christian RIED                      141

1           Marvin DIENST                     141

1           Matteo CAIROLI                    141

1           Mathias LAUDA                     140

1           Paul DALLA LANA                 140

1           Pedro LAMY                          140

3           Keita SAWA                          135

3           Matt GRIFFIN                        135

3           Weng Sun MOK                     135

1           61    Clearwater Racing                 149

2           77    Dempsey – Proton Racing      147

3           98    Aston Martin Racing              146

The next round of the 2017 FIA World Endurance Championship is the 6 Hours of Shanghai, which will take place on Sunday 5 November and is Round 8 of the nine race 2017 season.