MOTORSPORT – TOYOTA Racing celebrates an historic landmark for their hybrid technology when a new era of FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) competition begins with the 2026 season-opener in Italy on Sunday next week.
The Six Hours of Imola is Toyota’s 100th WEC race with hybrid power – a milestone which highlights the team’s experience accumulated over a century of races, as well as the start of their next chapter of endurance racing.
Since their return to WEC in 2012, Toyota have competed exclusively with hybrid technology, winning 13 world titles and 49 races, including five Le Mans 24 Hours. Toyota have also won 11 WEC races in Bahrain, including a remarkable eight in a row – taking every WEC event at Bahrain International Circuit in Sakhir since the kingdom’s race switched to its current eight-hour format in 2019.
Their 100th hybrid WEC race will see the competitive debut for the new Toyota Racing brand and revised TR010 Hybrid.
The updated car’s dynamic appearance aligns with Toyota’s latest road-car design language, prompting aerodynamic changes which help drivers race at their maximum in all circumstances.
To complement the aggressive new design, a striking livery is based on Toyota’s corporate red and incorporates white to express the spirit of representing Japan. The white elements reflect a distinctly Japanese design, while a unique logo for Imola celebrates the milestone of 100 hybrid races in WEC.
The TR010 Hybrid’s beating heart is its racing hybrid powertrain, created at Toyota’s Higashi-Fuji technical centre. It features a 3.5-litre twin-turbo V6 engine, which runs on 100 per cent renewable racing fuel.
While the team identity, car, and tyres have evolved, a proven driver line-up is carried over from 2025. Kamui Kobayashi, Mike Conway, and Nyck de Vries compete together for the third season in the #7 TR010, while Sebastien Buemi, Brendon Hartley, and Ryo Hirakawa race the #8 car for the fifth successive year.
The team will compete against seven other Hypercar manufacturers over an eight-race season which features 72 hours of racing on four continents.
“It’s impressive to reach this milestone of 100 hybrid races in WEC,” said Kobayashi. “We appreciate the support from Toyota and all our partners who contribute so much to our story.
“This year, our expectations are high. The previous car was fast but also had limitations, so last season was a big challenge, particularly considering several of our competitors made performance steps.
“That means we’ve been looking forward to the updated car for a while. I’m excited to see what we can achieve with it.”
Prior to the opening round at the 4.909-kilometre Autodromo Internazionale Enzo e Dino Ferrari, a prologue will take place tomorrow at the same venue. The curtain-raising meeting will then feature two 90-minute free practice sessions on Friday next week, and then the starting grid will be determined in qualifying and Hyperpole the next day, leading up to the six-hour race that Sunday.
“We think our TR010 Hybrid will help us compete at the front and we have all worked very hard to maximise performance,” said Buemi. “The racetrack will tell us if we have done a good job or not, but I am optimistic.
“I can’t wait to finally get behind the wheel at Imola, when a podium in our 100th WEC race is obviously the target.”
The WEC will be racing in the kingdom for its 2026 season-finale, scheduled for November 6 and 7.
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