Mike Conway and Toyota Gazoo Racing head to China in positive mood for the penultimate race of the 2016 FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC), the 6 Hours of Shanghai at the Shanghai International Circuit.

Having secured a memorable victory in the last race on Toyota’s home ground, the Fuji Speedway, Mike and his teammates Stéphane Sarrazin and Kamui Kobayashi have enhanced their position in the drivers’ World Championship.

Heading into the final two races of the season, the #6 TS050 Hybrid are second in the standings, twenty-three points off the lead. With 52 points left to fight for and having reduced the deficit already by 21 points since the Nürburgring in August, Mike and his teammates will be looking to regain more ground this weekend.

The Shanghai International Circuit has proved a happy hunting ground for Toyota in recent years, winning the race in 2012 and 2014 as well as enjoying four podium positions as well.

The circuit, located around 40km from central Shanghai, was built in 2004 and has hosted WEC since the championship was reborn in 2012. Prior to that, China was already a destination for endurance racing, with the Zhuhai International Circuit in Guangdong hosting races in 2010 and 2011.

Conway acknowledges that his team will be hard-pushed to overhaul the deficit at the top of the drivers’ World Championship and is focusing on returning two more successful results in Shanghai and Bahrain.

“Shanghai is a really cool circuit with some good high speed sections. There are only two races to go this season so this weekend is really important for us because we are still in the fight for the World Championship.”

“It’s going to be really difficult to catch the Porsche #2 guys but we will keep fighting until the end of the season. The first target is to get strong results in Shanghai and Bahrain to keep up our run of podium finishes.”