MOTORSPORT – Toyota Racing secured the Hypercar manufacturers’ world title last night with a dominant one-two victory in the Six Hours of Barcelona in Spain – the penultimate round of the 2026 FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) season.
In difficult conditions at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, the Japanese outfit triumphed for the fourth time this WEC season to capture their eighth manufacturers’ world championship.
Sebastien Buemi, Brendon Hartley, and Ryo Hirakawa were victorious in the number eight TR010 Hybrid, extending their lead in the drivers’ standings.
Mike Conway, Kamui Kobayashi, and Nyck de Vries completed a perfect day for the team by finishing second in the number seven TR010.
With one race to go, they are 17 points behind their teammates in the fight for the drivers’ title, which is now a two-way contest between the TR010 crews.
Toyota have now completed a clean sweep of both world championships to go along with victories in the Le Mans 24 Hours and the team’s home race, the Six Hours of Fuji, in the debut season of the TR010 Hypercar.
“It’s obviously an amazing day for the whole team,” said Buemi, who was marking the landmark 100th WEC race of his celebrated career.
“I’m really happy to celebrate the title with the whole team with a one-two.”
“After a difficult season last year, it shows how hard the team worked over the winter to introduce the TR010 Hybrid and win Le Mans and both titles.
“Now, hopefully Brendon, Ryo and me can win the drivers’ title in Monza.”
A spectacular performance in Spain was built on a strong opening hour when the drivers took advantage of changing conditions on wet tyres.
After starting second, Buemi quickly took the lead. From ninth on the grid, de Vries rapidly moved up the field and into second late in the opening hour.
Buemi served a five-second penalty for a starting procedure offence at his second pit stop, without any long-term impact on the race.
At half-distance, Hartley led Kobayashi by 10 seconds, with the chasing pack over 20 seconds behind.
Despite a safety car closing the field with two hours to go, the two TR010s set new fastest laps and rebuilt their advantage.
They safely negotiated lapped traffic through the closing stages whilst preserving their comfortable gap.
Hirakawa eventually crossed the finish line just 0.583secs ahead of de Vries to earn the team’s first one-two since the Bapco Energies Eight Hours of Bahrain last season.
The close fight between Toyota’s two Hypercars will resume in the eighth and final round of the 2026 WEC season at the Six Hours of Monza in Italy on November 8, when the drivers’ title battle will be decided.
“Congratulations to the whole team for winning the race and the manufacturers’ world championship here already,” said Kobayashi, who is also Toyota’s team principal.
“I’m very proud of all the team members involved in this, in Cologne and at Higashi-Fuji, as well as the Toyota family, our partners and of course, Morizo-san and Nakajima-san.”
“It’s a huge achievement to win Le Mans and now the manufacturers’ title, especially after we were struggling last year. We introduced the TR010 Hybrid and that has brought us to the top again.”
“The drivers’ title is now between car seven and car eight, so I think we can enjoy the last race.”
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