Mike Conway and Toyota’s #7 Car Battle to Fifth at Le Mans After Early Setbacks
The 2025 edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans proved a tough test for Mike Conway and the crew of the #7 Toyota GR010 Hybrid. Despite a disappointing qualifying that left them on the back foot, the trio of Conway, Kamui Kobayashi, and Nyck de Vries mounted a determined comeback to finish sixth overall.
The race began under difficult circumstances for the #7 car. An early collision with a Peugeot compromised the left side of the Toyota, setting the tone for a day of recovery rather than contention. Conway, visibly frustrated by the incident, said, “I’m pretty annoyed by the contact with the Peugeot at the start. There was no need for that at the beginning of a 24-hour race.”
Further compounding the team’s issues was a 50-second stop-go penalty assessed after de Vries was caught speeding at the pit lane exit. The incident dropped the car further down the order and left the team with a steep hill to climb.
Despite the early misfortunes, Conway and his teammates pressed on. The #7 crew gradually clawed their way back into the top ten through consistent pace, quick pit work, and a resilient team effort. In the end, they crossed the line in sixth place, salvaging a respectable finish from a compromised start.
“Sixth is definitely not where we wanted to be, but from where we started, I think that was all we had,” Conway said. “We didn’t have enough performance to win but as always, the team pushed to the end. It just wasn’t to be this year; we have to come back stronger.”
While a podium eluded them, the drive from Conway and the #7 team highlighted their determination and experience in endurance racing. It was a case of minimizing While they initially crossed the line in sixth, the team was bumped up to fifth overall after Ferrari’s car was disqualified during post-race scrutineering for a technical infringement. The result not only salvaged a solid points finish but also rewarded the team’s relentless effort under pressure.
Looking ahead, the challenge for Toyota Gazoo Racing will be to regroup, resolve the performance gaps, and return with a sharper package as the World Endurance Championship season continues in Brazil on July 11th - 13th.
