Anthony Davidson and Toyota win Spa in promising portent for Le Mans

Motor racing is a fickle mistress, doubly so in the Endurance variety where the potential pitfalls mean avoiding the counting of chickens is somewhat of an obsession. After a trouble-free run to victory in the Ardennes, though, Anthony Davidson could be forgiven for harbouring the briefest of thoughts that this year's Le Mans 24 Hours could just have his name on it. The win, with his team-mates Nicolas Lapierre and Sébastien Buemi, here at the Six Hours of Spa, makes it two from two in the opening races of the 2014 FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) and this second victory - in perfect, dry conditions and running the low-downforce configuration the team will use at Le Mans - was a convincing statement that Toyota have the tools to do the job at La Sarthe in June.

Davidson, Lapierre and Buemi took the flag 1min 13sec clear of the chasing No1 Audi, last year's world championship-winning car of Loïc Duval, Tom Kristensen and Lucas di Grassi, who were seven seconds ahead of the second Toyota of Stéphane Sarrazin, Kazuki Nakajima and Alex Wurz.

Porsche, in only their second race after returning to the top-end of sportscar racing, claimed fourth, with the No14 of Marc Lieb, Neel Jani and Romain Dumas, while the sister No20 car in which Mark Webber had finished with a podium place at the first round in Silverstone, suffering from rear damper problems and a drive shaft failure that necessitated repeated visits to the pits, could manage only 23rd place.

The race had opened well for the German marque with the No14 claiming their first pole in the WEC and that translated into a lead, proving the 919 Hybrid, also running in low-downforce Le Mans spec, to have encouraging pace on only its second competitive outing. It held the lead into the second hour from the Davidson No8 Toyota, which had started alongside it on the grid. But, with the Toyota squad double-stinting their tyres and Lieb stalling the Porsche in the pits after a longer stop to take fresh rubber, Buemi took the lead.

Running out front, the Toyota extended its advantage and in pace looked to be untroubled by the Porsche, which dropped back to just under 20 seconds behind, even when also opting to try double-stinting the tyres. A chase to the flag, however, was denied Porsche when Dumas lost power due to an electrical problem that switched off the car's hybrid system. Taking a risk that paid off, the team opted to keep him on track rather than pitting and the driver was able to reset the system without coming in but the damage had been done and he had lost a full minute to the leading Toyota.

The problem opened a door for Audi, who struggled to match the speed of their rivals early in the race but found pace in the second half. This allowed the No2 car to move up to second, a position it held despite a late charge from the No7 Toyota, which had dropped back after suffering from oversteer, a stint where Wurz had oil on his windscreen and a lack of grip when double-stinting tyres.

This is Davidson's second win at the Six Hours of Spa - he won with Peugeot in 2011, the same year that team won the Intercontinental Le Mans Cup, the forerunner of the WEC. This win puts the No8 team at the top of the world championship table, ahead of the sister car. Davidson also took fourth at Le Mans in 2011, suffered a terrible accident the following year but came back in 2013 to claim second place with Toyota. He can hope to better that after a consummate performance here by him and his team-mates offered the best possible preparation for the team as they head towards the 24.

"It's great we got two cars on to the podium again," he said. "Now our attention has to turn to the big one in June. I am so confident in the package we have and the team around us; it really feels like we are flourishing at the right time."

The British driver confirmed on the grid before the race that despite the new-seasons focus on energy recovery and limiting fuel consumption, the drivers are still racing flat-out. He was also pleased to be top of the table in the race for the title won by Allan McNish last year.

"This season is the first time I have ever led a world championship," he added. "To win again here for one of the team's home races, with a lot of support from the guys from Cologne, was fantastic."

Toyota, then, hold the advantage as the ultimate test at Le Mans beckons but Porsche, who insist that this season is a learning process and that finishing is the target, will be pleased with the pace shown by their car, which, if it runs well, will clearly challenge. Audi, in turn, will be buoyed by their running in the latter part of the race but will have expected more from their third entry, which was in Le Mans spec and finished sixth, two laps off the leaders.

Predictions, as noted, are a dangerous business but on this showing the battle at La Sarthe in June is likely to be closer than ever, the makings of a real classic given a fascinating prologue here in the Ardennes.

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Source: Anthony Davidson and Toyota win Spa in promising portent for Le Mans