<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Alpine had spent most of the 6 Hours of Fuji building what looked like a one-two finish. Both A424s started from the front row, and the #35 and #36 controlled much of Sunday\u2019s race. Toyota\u2019s #8 was running sixth late on, having also lost time when Brendon Hartley was spun after contact with Harry Tincknell earlier in the afternoon. At that point, a Toyota victory appeared unlikely.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The race changed when Finn Gehrsitz crashed the #58 Garage 59 McLaren and the Safety Car brought the field together. The leaders needed a final stop, but they did not all need to make the same one. With little racing time left, Toyota chose track position over fresh tyres<\/strong>: it kept the used Michelins on the #8 and gave Ry\u014d Hirakawa a shorter fuel fill.<\/p>\n\n\n\n BMW made a similar call for Dries Vanthoor\u2019s #15. Alpine took the opposite approach. Victor Martins received four fresh tyres in the #36, while Charles Milesi\u2019s #35 received two new tyres on the left side. The Alpine cars would have more grip for the restart, but their longer stops put them behind Hirakawa and Vanthoor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n That was Toyota\u2019s gamble. Saving time in the pits could only win the race if Hirakawa kept a faster car behind on worn tyres. Light rain added another complication: the surface was slightly damp, the tyres were cold and the drivers had roughly 20 minutes after the restart to settle the result.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Martins made quick progress. He passed Marco S\u00f8rensen\u2019s Aston Martin, was let through by Alpine teammate Milesi and then overtook Vanthoor for second. That left only Hirakawa ahead. The Alpine closed to the Toyota\u2019s rear, but Hirakawa placed the #8 where Martins could not complete a pass and took the chequered flag 0.591 seconds in front<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe re-start was really tricky, with the conditions changing and being on cold tyres on a slightly damp track,\u201d Hirakawa said afterward. He credited Toyota\u2019s feedback during the closing laps, when the team told him where he needed to push and where he needed to defend.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Safety Car created the chance; the pit-stop choice turned sixth place into the lead. Toyota then needed Hirakawa to make that lead last. Alpine\u2019s decision gave Martins the pace to recover to second, but not enough time or space to take first. The #35 finished fourth, behind Vanthoor\u2019s BMW, leaving Alpine with its best two-car result in the top class after having led much of the race.<\/p>\n\n\n\n