PORSCHE CLAIMS MAKES’ WORLD TITLE

Porsche secured a second consecutive manufacturers’ world championship title when Mark Webber, Timo Bernhard and Brendon Hartley dominated last weekend’s Six Hours of Shanghai.

The trio led the penultimate round of the FIA World Endurance Championship from half distance, before cruising clear to win by just short of a minute as their rivals’ challenge faltered.

Hartley initially pulled a gap with his first double stint, before Bernhard consolidated the lead.

Toyota stayed in the chase for the drivers’ crown by securing second and third. Kamui Kobayashi, Stephane Sarrazin and Mike Conway were slowed by a puncture but recovered to finish behind the runaway Porsche and keep their slender title hopes alive heading into the season finale in Bahrain later this month.

Toyota’s tyre life advantage allowed it to double-stint with both cars, helping the sister car of Sebastien Buemi, Anthony Davidson and Kazuki Nakajima finish third, ahead of Neel Jani, Romain Dumas, Marc Lieb’s Porsche 919.

Audi had a bad weekend on its first race since announcing its LMP1 withdrawal. Lucas di Grassi, Oliver Jarvis and Loic Duval were slowed by a fuelling issue that cost the car time at each stop. They were fifth. Marcel Fassler, Andre Lotterer and Benoit Treluyer were sixth after damage.

The Jota Sport-run G-drive ORECA of Roman Rusinov, Alex Brundle and Will Stevens won LMP2 ahead of the Extreme Speed Ligier crewed by Tom Blomqvist, Antonio Giovinazzi and Sean Gelael.

Andy Priaulx and Harry Tincknell won GTE Pro for the Ford GT team, ahead of the sister car of Stefan Mucke and Olivier Pla. Aston Martin continued to dominate GTE AM with Paul Dalla Lana, Pedro Lamy and Mathias Lauda winning.

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