---
title: "Toyota Just Set an All-Time Lap Record at Le Mans"
description: "Porsche, take note."
date: "2017-06-15"
modified: "2017-06-15"
authors:
  - name: "Caleb Jacobs"
    job_title: "Senior Editor"
    link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/caleb-jacobs"
url: "https://www.thedrive.com/start-finish/11593/toyota-just-set-an-all-time-lap-record-at-le-mans"
categories:
  - "News"
  - "News by Brand"
  - "Racing"
  - "Toyota News"
  - "WEC"
tags:
  - "24 Hours of Le Mans"
  - "Fastest Lap Time"
  - "motorsport"
  - "Toyota"
  - "World Record"
---

# Toyota Just Set an All-Time Lap Record at Le Mans

![](<https://www.thedrive.com/wp-content/uploads/images-by-url-td/content/2017/06/toyota-le-mans-hero-image.png>)
*\<em\>www.thedrive.com\</em\>*

As the this weekend's [2017 24 Hours of Le Mans](<https://www.thedrive.com/start-finish/11508/this-years-24-hours-of-le-mans-spotters-guide-is-out>) approaches, qualifying is in full swing with [Toyota](<https://www.thedrive.com/start-finish/8873/watch-the-2017-toyota-ts050-le-mans-prototype-run-at-monza>) and [Porsche](<https://www.thedrive.com/porsche/11169/le-mans-test-concludes-with-mixed-results-for-porsche>) at one another's throat. The two teams have [bounced back and forth](<https://www.thedrive.com/start-finish/11153/toyota-outperforms-porsche-in-early-le-mans-testing>) to make it an unbelievably close contest, and now, Toyota has made a statement. Team driver Kamui Kobayashi just ran a 3:14.791 lap time at the circuit, setting an all-time record and showing how serious the Gazoo crew is for this year's race.

Thanks to a clear track ahead of him, Kobayashi was able to fly around without worrying about overtaking. This gave him the right of way to set the blistering lap time, one that's never been matched in either qualifying or an official race since the chicanes on Mulsanne Straight were introduced in 1989.

Twenty minutes prior to Toyota's lap, the No. 33 Eurasia Motorsport LMP2 car had crashed, which resulted in a red flag. Kobayashi was the first to be sent out once things had cleared up, therefore allowing him to route the 8.469-mile Circuit de la Sarthe unlike we've seen before.

https://twitter.com/\_/status/875417853851291649

As you can see, the team was pretty ecstatic back in the pits.

Toyota Gazoo will assuredly use this to put Porsche on note for what is to come. After [last year's gut-wrenching loss at the 24 Hour](<https://www.thedrive.com/accelerator/4087/relive-porsches-historic-le-mans-win-in-photos>) race, the Japanese crew has had a taste for blood. The team's consistent showing [throughout the 2017 WEC season](<https://www.thedrive.com/accelerator/10031/watch-toyotas-1-2-finish-at-the-6-hours-of-spa>) has been a strong indicator, and now, it looks to reinforce it with this move.

https://youtube.com/embed/Sy91BcB8pRQ

There will be one more nighttime testing tomorrow, but it's doubtful that we will see this benchmark broken given the conditions.

## Author
Caleb Jacobs is The Drive’s senior editor. When he’s not searching for stories or poring over copy, he’s usually driving his dump truck or wishing it was running so he could drive it. He was born and raised in the Missouri Ozarks, and he lives there today with his family.

### Author social links  
[LinkedIn](<https://www.linkedin.com/in/caleb-jacobs-319323119>)  
[Instagram](<https://instagram.com/calebjwords>)  
[Twitter](<https://twitter.com/calebjacobs0611>)