24h Le Mans
In the wake of a tenacious 2025 season, TOYOTA GAZOO Racing has turned its focus to next year. With an improved GR010 Hybrid and the same driver line-ups, the Japanese team is looking to reconquer the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the world title.
A top contender in the FIA Word Endurance Championship since its inception, TOYOTA GAZOO Racing endured an unnerving 2025 season marked by a frustrating yet revealing 24 Hours of Le Mans. Despite retaining its position in the championship classification, the Japanese marque is currently preparing a new version of the GR010 Hybrid for next year. The goal is to reclaim the top step on the race's podium and reassert the team's domination.
Competing in Hypercar since 2021, TOYOTA GAZOO Racing is the veteran team of the category. Winner of the 2024 FIA Endurance Hypercar Constructors trophy — its seventh title in 10 years — the outfit approached this past season with one clear objective: to retake the helm at Le Mans. Team principal and #7 GR010 Hybrid driver Kamui Kobayashi: We will have to challenge ourselves to get better in every area to stay on top.
In honour of the 40th anniversary of Toyota's first participation in the 24 Hours, the two GR010 Hybrids took the start clearly looking to clinch a sixth win. With performance and reliability on point, the race was theirs to lose. At that stage of the season, Toyota was second in the championship standings, arriving at Le Mans as a credible contender against Ferrari.
The #7 shared by Mike Conway, Kamui Kobayashi and Nyck de Vries struggled from the very first lap, but still managed to climb to sixth position after qualifying 16th. After briefly holding the lead, the #8 of Sébastien Buemi, Brendon Hartley and Ryo Hirakawa fought to stay in the top 4 before mechanical troubles cost the car more than 20 minutes, finishing the race in 16th place. Kobayashi: We knew it would be a tough race, and it was indeed very tough. We tried to take every opportunity to get the win, but we couldn’t make it happen this time. Now we have lost to Ferrari three times in a row which is not acceptable to me. We will come back to Le Mans stronger next year and with a different mindset.
Thanks to a decisive one-two at the Bapco Energies 8 Hours of Bahrain, final round of the 2025 FIA WEC, Toyota secured second place in the FIA Endurance Hypercar Contructors Championship. The result capped off a difficult season while demonstrating the resilient and competitive nature of the entire team.
Now on to 2026 and Toyota's newly improved GR010 Hybrid. The driver line-ups will remain unchanged. A third season at the wheel of the #7 await Mike Conway, Kamui Kobayashi and Nyck de Vries, and teammates Sébastien Buemi, Brendon Hartley and Ryo Hirakawa are heading into their fifth in the #8. Four-time Le Mans winner Sébastien Buemi: Considering the season we had up to now, finishing second in the World Championship is a nice boost for everyone’s morale going into next season, when we hope to come back stronger and fight for the title.
In response to Ferrari's domination of three consecutive runnings of the 24 Hours, Toyota is back with a vengeance, including a better car, seasoned driver line-ups and renewed determination.
In 2026, TOYOTA GAZOO Racing doesn't just want to battle, it wants to lead the charge once again.
