8 HOURS OF PORTIMÃO - HIGHLIGHTS & FACTS
- Mike and the #7 TOYOTA GAZOO Racing GR010 crew took part in Toyota’s 100th World Championship sportscar event
- The reigning WEC champion qualified the #7 third on the grid for the eight hour race
- After José María López started the race, Mike took over and was able to leapfrog the sister #8 car during his stint before handing to Kamui Kobayashi
- The team led by 10 seconds just after the three-hour mark but a safety car wiped out their advantage
- Able to maintain the lead, another full-course yellow with 30 minutes remaining set up a close finish, with the #7 emerging from its final pitstop just three seconds behind the #8
- The #7 eventually took the chequered flag in second place to record back-to-back podiums in 2021
- Heading to the next round in Monza, Mike occupies second place in the championship with 43 points
MIKE'S RACE REVIEW
“I think we all drove really well today. It could have gone a few different ways depending on race circumstances. Car #8 did a good fuel saving at the start of the race and went a little longer than us; they did well to open up their strategy. When the full course yellow came at the end that allowed us to take our fuel stop and lose less time than normal, which was a lucky break. I thought our car was a tiny bit quicker all day but that's the way it works out sometimes, unfortunately. It's a one-two for the team which is the priority.”
