24h Le Mans
Last Sunday, the #7 Toyota TR010 Hybrid won the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Today, it arrived back at its Cologne base to a fittingly warm welcome from its designers, developers and preparers.
Last Sunday, shortly after 16:00, the car crossed the finish line to win the 24 Hours of Le Mans before a crowd of tens of thousands. Today, it arrived safely back at the Toyota Racing European headquarters in Cologne, Germany, where another journey continues. It was an emotional scene, for the Hypercar has entered its name in the history books of the world’s greatest endurance race.
Back home, the Hypercar was not only reunited with its garage, but also with the many people who helped prepare it for glory. Engineers, mechanics, technicians and logisticians gathered to welcome the triumphant machine and to celebrate their success, far from the limelight of the pit lane.
The 2026 24 Hours of Le Mans trophy takes pride of place in the Toyota Racing silver cabinet. A trophy symbolises a victory, but behind the end result are many hours of tireless work, strategic decision-making and a constant search for performance and reliability.
This year, the #7 Toyota TR010 Hybrid carried the hopes and dreams of an entire team across the finish line. Driven by Mike Conway, Kamui Kobayashi and Nyck de Vries, the car stood up to the gruelling race, its strenuous night and unsparing opponents. The crew were bent on pushing the limits without going too far and committing an error. For a full 24 hours.
Toyota’s collective endeavour was underlined by the sister car’s third place. Sébastien Buemi, Brendon Hartley and Ryō Hirakawa in the #8 Toyota GR010 Hybrid were shown the chequered flag a mere 20.417 seconds after the winners in a battle to the line, after 24 hours of racing.
A third Toyota displayed promise on the Circuit des 24 Heures du Mans last week. The Toyota TR LH2 Racing Prototype took the track for a demonstration, much to the delight of the spectators in the grandstands and the experts in the pit lane. Kazuki Nakajima took the first liquid hydrogen prototype for a lap of the circuit in a symbolic, yet concrete demonstration of tomorrow’s technology today.
The appearance opens up new prospects. The potential for hydrogen in racing, its stability in real conditions and potential for widespread application has been demonstrated. Taking place as it did, at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the outing was a sign that this race is heading towards zero-emission endurance racing.
