Toyota puts Ferrari on warning with striking Le Mans message: 'We will have a fight'

Toyota Gazoo and former Formula 1 driver Sebastien Buemi has warned Ferrari that it "will have a fight" on its hands in this weekend's Le Mans 24 Hours. 

The 93rd running of the prestigious event looks set to be one of the most competitive yet, despite the Scuderia having dominated the opening rounds of the World Endurance Championship.

Ferrari sit comfortably at the top of the standings; however, the Le Mans Balance of Performance rules (BoP) has opened the door to several manufacturers in Hypercar.

It was the #8 Toyota, featuring Buemi, which topped the opening test day at the Circuit de la Sarthe on Sunday, marking the ideal start to the week ahead of first official practice and qualifying on Wednesday afternoon.

When asked for Toyota's chances of taking the fight to Ferrari, Buemi answered on the RacingNews365 Podcast: "I think quite good. 

"If you look at the start of the season, people may assume Ferrari is obviously dominating and we have no real chance, but I would not agree with that. 

"Of course, also, the BoP is totally different for Le Mans, it's not the same as for the rest of the championship, and we know how important that is, obviously for the performance. So I'm looking forward to the weekend."

Buemi "really confident" in Toyota's chances

Toyota has been improving as the WEC season has developed, with it's pace setting time on the test day suggesting a strong initial set up was quickly discovered by the Japanese manufacturer. 

However, there is much more to winning Le Mans than simply being quick, something Buemi knows better than most as a four-time winner of the iconic race. 

Victory on Sunday would move the 36-year-old to third on the all-time Le Mans wins list, with him recognising the importance of understanding everything about the tyres before the race begins.

"I feel, I'm really confident we will have a fight, we will have an opportunity," added Buemi. "Now it's just about making sure that we optimise everything we have and get the most out of the car.

"And get a good read on what tyres to use when, because, obviously, in the night it's cold, you use different tyres. When to change tyres, look after, obviously their ability would be important, but also how you can keep your tyres alive. 

"We know sometimes you go three stints, four stints [on the same tyres], and if we can do a good job in on that side, that would could be a key factor in the race."