Toyota triumphs at Imola after a wise tire choice

In a race marked by challenging weather conditions at Imola, Toyota achieved its first World Endurance Championship victory of the season, surpassing Porsche thanks to a strategic tire choice. During unexpected rainfall, Toyota opted for wet tires, while Ferrari, which had dominated the early part of the race, suffered by continuing with dry tires.

The Toyota team, consisting of Mike Conway, Nyck de Vries, and Kamui Kobayashi in the Toyota GR010 HYBRID, finished the race with a lead of over seven seconds ahead of the Porsche team, comprised of Laurens Vanthoor, Andre Lotterer, and Kevin Estre, who also switched to wet tires at a crucial moment. Ferrari, on the other hand, unsuccessfully tried to maintain its dry tires, costing them optimal performance.

From the start, the race was full of strategies and quick changes. Conway significantly improved his position from sixth place, overtaking several competitors and benefiting from a slower pit stop by Ferrari. The race then saw multiple interventions by safety cars that altered the strategies of all teams.

The switch to rain tires proved crucial when the track became extremely slippery. Kobayashi and Estre were among the first to adopt this strategy, providing them a significant advantage over the Ferraris, which were slow to make the change. This strategic decision proved correct as Kobayashi maintained the lead, even as the track began to dry towards the end of the race.

The challenges continued until the last moment, with penalties and track exits affecting several competitors, but Toyota managed to stay calm and secure the victory. This triumph not only demonstrates the importance of a flexible and adaptive strategy but also the critical impact of decisions made at key moments under pressure.