Gimme Five! – Sébastien Buemi’s (Toyota) big chance at Monza

Having already clinched the manufacturers’ title, Toyota’s drivers are now battling it out amongst themselves for the drivers’ world championship at Monza: Buemi/Hartley/Hirakawa hold a 17-point lead over Kobayashi/de Vries and Mike Conway, who is retiring at Monza. “It would be absolutely brilliant if it happened. Winning a world championship is never easy. I’d say it’s even harder now than it used to be – with BoP and much more competition from more manufacturers. So winning another title would be very special indeed,” confirms the driver from French-speaking Switzerland. With 29 race wins to his name, he is also the most successful driver in the WEC, “because I’ve been there since the start and have probably driven the most races,” as he admits.

In 2027, Buemi will be competing in the WEC for the first time without his second job in Formula E. A change of pace or a relief? On this, he says: “You mustn’t forget that I do a great deal of simulator work for Red Bull Racing. Combined with Formula E and the WEC, it’s been very stressful for years. So next year will be a bit quieter for me. Although, I must admit, the Gen4 FE car would have been tempting. But this way, I’ll be able to spend more time at home.”

On Mike Conway’s departure from the sister Toyota, Buemi says: “He’s a great bloke, always calm and reliable. You can go to sleep (at Le Mans) knowing the car is in safe hands. But there’s always a beginning and an end. In any case, I wish him all the best.” As for Buemi himself, there’s no end in sight to his time at Toyota – his contract runs beyond 2027. “I’m still motivated. And I’m still enjoying myself. When I drive from home here to Monza and meet my team, it doesn’t feel like work. It feels good. I’d like to be able to enjoy that for a few more years.”

Commenting on his team-mate Ryo Hirakawa’s strong F1 debut in Mexico (10th place), Buemi said: “He drove brilliantly. Of course, he was lucky because of the penalties handed to his rivals. But I’m delighted that he made the most of his opportunity. His performance is certainly also a testament to the potential of WEC drivers.”