TOYOTA RACING has once again proven why it remains one of endurance racing’s greatest forces, securing its sixth victory at the iconic 24 Hours of Le Mans during the third round of the 2026 FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC).
Mike Conway, Kamui Kobayashi and Nyck de Vries guided the No. 7 Toyota TR010 Hybrid Electric Hypercar to a memorable victory after completing 381 gruelling laps in a race time of 24:03:01.030. Their winning margin of just 10.913 seconds highlighted the intensity of one of the closest editions of Le Mans in recent years. Teammates Sébastien Buemi, Brendon Hartley and Ryō Hirakawa completed an exceptional weekend for TOYOTA RACING by finishing third in the No. 8 Toyota TR010 Hybrid Electric Hypercar, crossing the line after the same 381 laps in 24:03:21.447 to secure a coveted double podium finish.
The result marks another milestone in Toyota’s remarkable endurance racing legacy, built on more than six decades of motorsport innovation and competition.
Reflecting on the hard-earned victory, Kamui Kobayashi, Team Principal and driver of the No. 7 car, said:
“It was very challenging for us, but we never gave up. Vehicle No. 7 has had a lot of second places at Le Mans but finally we got our second win. We have waited so long for this victory and it feels amazing. The whole week was not easy, including the race which was not smooth. We had a puncture early and that made it tough for us. But Mike, Nyck, our engineers and our pit crew did a great job. It was an incredible day. Thank you to everyone who made it happen, including all the fans who make this such a special event.”
A crowd of 350,105 spectators witnessed a race defined by strategy, resilience and relentless pace. After modest qualifying positions in Hyperpole, both Toyota crews gained valuable ground through an aggressive fuel strategy that allowed them to challenge the frontrunners early in the race.
The No. 7 crew recovered impressively from an early puncture before steadily climbing through the field, posting a fastest lap of 3:25.155 along the way. Meanwhile, the No. 8 Toyota TR010 Hybrid Electric Hypercar led during the opening stages before overcoming several setbacks to remain in podium contention, ultimately recording the team’s quickest lap of the race with a 3:25.041.
The decisive moment came when a late safety car with fewer than six hours remaining compressed the field, setting up a dramatic sprint to the finish. A series of bold overtakes propelled both Toyota Hypercars into a one-two formation with three hours remaining, before Conway, Kobayashi and de Vries held their nerve to deliver a landmark victory. Buemi, Hartley and Hirakawa rounded out an outstanding team performance by securing third place, reinforcing Toyota’s reputation for consistency under pressure.
The result extends TOYOTA RACING’s lead in the FIA World Endurance Championship manufacturers’ standings to 36 points, while Conway, Kobayashi and de Vries move to the top of the drivers’ championship heading into the next round.
Toyota’s philosophy that “roads build people and cars” continues to shape its approach to motorsport. The lessons learned under the extreme demands of endurance racing directly influence the development of ever-better road cars, with the FIA World Endurance Championship serving as one of the brand’s most important proving grounds for hybrid technology, performance and reliability.
The championship now heads to Brazil for the 6 Hours of São Paulo at the legendary Interlagos circuit, where TOYOTA RACING will look to build on its momentum as the 2026 season continues.
To learn more about Toyota’s latest vehicles and motorsport achievements, visit www.toyota.com.kw or follow @toyotakw on Instagram.
