24 HEURES DU MANS | 2:35:00

I will never understand Toyota's logic in (a) hiring triple World Touring Car Champion José María López (2014, '15, & '16) to drive their TS050 Hybrid Le Mans Prototype bug especially in (b) retaining López in 2018 while dumping 2014 World Endurance Champion Anthony Davidson. The № 7 Toyota entered the night leading the pole-sitting № 8, but throughout their stints in the № 8 both Fernando Alsonso & then Kaz Nakajima took chunks of time out of López in the № 7; as soon as Kamui Kobayashi took over the reigns of the № 7, he first stablized & then increased the lead over the № 8. Now, in the early afternoon at the Circuit de la Sarthe, López at the helm of the № 7 is dropping tires into the grass, spinning the car in the corners, & all the while falling further & further behind Alonso in the № 8. The are so many supremely talented former Audi & Porsche prototype drivers out there, guys who are now driving P.2s & G.T.E.s. Why, oh why is José María López in that coveted Toyota seat instead of almost anyone else?