- Sébastien Buemi, Brendon Hartley and Ryō Hirakawa secure first place in newly debuted Toyota TR010 HYBRID
- Double podium finish sees Toyota take early lead in 2026 FIA WEC season
Dubai, UAE – 22April 2026: TOYOTA RACING has kicked off its 2026 FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) campaign with a double podium finish at 6 Hours of Imola. Sébastien Buemi, Brendon Hartley and Ryō Hirakawa took home first place in the No.8 Toyota TR010 Hybrid Electric Hypercar after working their way into the lead. Teammates Mike Conway, Kamui Kobayashi and Nyck de Vries followed quickly behind and took third place in the No.7 Toyota TR010 Hybrid Electric Hypercar. The 6 Hours of Imola marked TOYOTA RACING’s 100th race in the WEC hybrid era and delivered the team’s 50th championship victory.
Kamui Kobayashi, Team Principal and driver, car #7, said: ““We tried everything we could today to bring home the best possible result. It was quite a smooth race but not easy to find the opportunities to make up places. It was challenging for us, but we managed to get both cars on the podium and start the season with a win, so I’m really happy. Most importantly, our car seems to be strong so that brings us confidence for the rest of the season. Congratulations to all the team who worked so hard on the TR010 HYBRID and to execute the race today. Next we head to Spa and a long season ahead of us. We will work hard and try our best to achieve all our targets.”
Held on challenging Italian asphalt, conditions evolved throughout the race with light rain and strong winds in the closing stages. These shifts placed a premium on tyre and fuel management and presented a further test for the Toyota TR010 Hybrid Electric Hypercar, which was introduced in January 2026 as an evolution of the Toyota GR010 Hybrid Electric Hypercar. The Toyota TR010 ran consistently across the six-hour contest, supported by well-judged strategy and clean execution from the crews.
The No.8 Toyota TR010 Hybrid Electric Hypercar remained among the leading cars throughout before moving into the lead during the middle stages. In the closing hours, the crew navigated tricky track conditions during a light shower to hold the advantage until the end.
The No.7 Toyota TR010 Hybrid Electric Hypercar also worked its way forward over the course of the race, securing third place just under a minute after the No.8 crew, to secure a double podium finish for the team.
Toyota advances vehicle and human development through motorsports by leveraging competition as a testing ground under extreme conditions.From the 2026 season, Toyota competes in the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) under the TOYOTA RACING brand, strengthening its long-term technological foundation through cutting-edge motorsports activities.Alongside endurance racing, GAZOO Racing (GR) continues to expand the bond between customers and Toyota products through its participation in rally and customer motorsports, supported by TOYOTA RACING GmbH.
Round two of the 2026 FIA WEC is 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps (May 9). Held at the historic Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium, this high-speed and technically demanding circuit is known for its elevation changes and unpredictable weather conditions.
Race Notes:
- No. 8 Toyota TR010 Hybrid Electric Hypercar (Sébastien Buemi, Brendon Hartley and Ryo Hirakawa)
- Position: 1st
- No. of Laps: 213
- Best lap: 1:32.490
- Elapsed time: 6:00:10.939
- No. 7 Toyota TR010 Hybrid Electric Hypercar (Mike Conway, Kamui Kobayashi and Nyck de Vries)
- Position: 3rd
- No. of Laps: 213
- Best lap: 1:32.659
- Elapsed time: 6:00:52.126