The event of Toyota’s revamped Le Mans Hypercar contender is on monitor, with early testing leaving the squad cautiously optimistic for the 2026 World Endurance Championship.
Debuting in 2021 underneath the brand new LMH rules, the GR010 Hybrid is now simply the oldest automobile on the Hypercar grid. Early updates throughout the life cycle of the automobile in 2022 and ‘23 allowed Toyota to carry its personal in opposition to an onslaught of producers within the WEC’s high class, however the V6-powered prototype has now begun to point out particular indicators of age.
The 2025 season was marked by sheer dominance from rival Ferrari, which received the opening 4 races, together with its third consecutive triumph on the Le Mans 24 Hours, and secured the producers’ title by a commanding 74 factors.
Whereas the WEC’s controversial Stability of Efficiency (BoP) system was cited as a significant component holding Toyota again – it went seven of eight races with out scoring a podium till the dominant last spherical in Bahrain – it’s simple that the Ferrari 499P is now the brand new benchmark for uncooked tempo.
Rival producers have additionally caught up in different areas, together with operational energy, and Toyota knew it needed to replace the {hardware} to reclaim its throne within the WEC.
A 3rd main revision to the GR010 Hybrid has been within the works for a while, however was formally introduced by the crew solely in September. Toyota might have launched a few of these updates as early as the beginning of the 2025 WEC, nevertheless it was uncertain whether or not the rulemakers would have allowed it to make use of evo jokers after successful the producers’ title the earlier season.
An additional yr to develop the concepts, particularly after a bruising marketing campaign like 2025 turned out to be, allowed Toyota to push the envelope additional and introduce extra dramatic modifications to the automobile.
2026 Toyota GR010 Hybrid teaser
Picture by: Toyota Gazoo Racing
As with different producers updating automobiles for 2026, Toyota’s main focus is on aerodynamics. Photographs from a maiden take a look at at Paul Ricard confirmed a reworked entrance part, together with a brand new headlight design that borrows cues from the corporate’s street automobile vary.
“The styling could be very totally different, which I personally really feel actually joyful and likewise happy with,” Toyota Gazoo Racing vice chairman Kazuki Nakajima advised Motorsport.com.
“After many, a few years, it is nearly the primary time we have by some means managed to have an excellent design language, which is frequent to the Toyota model or the street automobile designs. That is fairly a giant step.
“In fact, it is not solely about styling, however a styling change means aero circulate will even be totally different.
“As everybody is aware of, we can have a distinct wind tunnel [Windshear] for the homologation. So there was quite a lot of fine-tuning about aero design to optimise what we will have.”
First replace since 2023
Toyota’s first GR010 overhaul in 2022 centred on the swap to narrower entrance and wider rear tyres, and it managed to keep away from invoking any of the 5 evo jokers permitted underneath the preliminary five-year rule cycle of the automobile.
The second revision in 2023 targeted on areas equivalent to driveability, serviceability and reliability, quite than pure efficiency, making the GR010 Hybrid an much more rounded contender.
The following overhaul brings the primary main visible change to the automobile and goals to maximise efficiency underneath the BoP system.
“It is little particulars. The concept is to enhance aero and drivability,” Brendon Hartley advised Motorsport.com.
“Ultimately, there’s nonetheless a Stability of Efficiency on this championship, so it is not you could simply add aero and take away drag, it is all balanced out in a good manner.
“It is extra [about] making an attempt to enhance traits and driver suggestions.”
#7 Toyota Gazoo Racing Toyota GR010 – Hybrid: Mike Conway, Kamui Kobayashi, Nyck De Vries
Picture by: Toyota
Optimistic begin to testing
Toyota started testing the subsequent model of the GR010 Hybrid – which might race underneath a distinct identify – even earlier than the present season ended, organising two days of personal operating at Paul Ricard on 8-9 October.
Additional testing is deliberate within the winter earlier than the automobile is flown to North Carolina within the US for homologation.
Requested if Toyota is happy with the preliminary testing of its 2026 challenger, Nakajima stated: “I might assume so, yeah.
“In fact, it is by no means good and there is generally a little bit of a problem whenever you really run on the monitor.
“However ultimately we achieved cheap testing and it is fairly underneath management.
“Clearly, the automobile continues to be earlier than the homologation [stage] and after we go to the wind tunnel, this might be the actual take a look at to be within the [right] window.
“It is only a begin, however as a begin, it was an excellent kick-off.”
Toyota wouldn’t go into particulars in regards to the automobile’s efficiency in early testing, however the Japanese producer takes confidence from the truth that issues are headed in the suitable path.
Having began testing sooner than a few of its rivals, it nonetheless has time on its fingers to make some late enhancements and change into a stronger pressure in 2026.
“We had a transparent level to enhance, and this was kind of confirmed by our drivers that we managed to not repair every thing however managed to have an excellent step ahead on what we now have been working for,” stated Nakajima. “I feel it is a good step.”
#7 Toyota Gazoo Racing Toyota GR010 – Hybrid: Mike Conway, Kamui Kobayashi, Nyck De Vries
Picture by: Andreas Beil
Maximising efficiency underneath BoP limitations
For years, Toyota ran one of the best race crew within the WEC, giving it an important edge in areas like operations and technique. However rival groups caught up in these key metrics throughout 2025, and Toyota additionally dropped the ball far too many occasions because it tried to beat what it deemed as an unfavourable BoP.
These challenges, mixed with the shortage of common efficiency, meant the crew that dominated the WEC for years couldn’t end increased than fourth in a race till its dominant 1-2 outcome within the Bahrain 8 Hours.
The truth that Toyota might nonetheless end runner-up to Ferrari within the producers’ standings after its victory within the Bahrain finale confirmed why it stays one of many strongest groups on the grid.
However it’s not leaving something on the desk for 2026, with all selections concerning the event of its 2026 racer made on the belief that it must cope with the least energy and the utmost weight underneath BoP.
“It’s the issue everyone seems to be dealing with,” Nakajima stated when requested how Toyota plans to beat these limitations.
“However on the finish of the day, what counts is the efficiency of the monitor and likewise the execution from the crew.
“The present guidelines kind of intention to equalise or to place everyone in a more in-depth window of efficiency, so what counts is partially the crew’s execution like technique, pitstop, driver’s efficiency, not making errors and issues like that.
“This really takes quite a lot of a part of the efficiency issue within the race. We simply must concentrate on this half.”
There will likely be some stability throughout the Toyota camp subsequent yr, with all six drivers staying on for an additional season. Hartley, Sebastien Buemi and Ryo Hirakawa will proceed to pilot the #8 Toyota, whereas Bahrain winners Kamui Kobayashi, Mike Conway and Nyck de Vries will stay onboard the #7 GR010 Hybrid.
Toyota is anticipated to formally launch its up to date automobile within the coming months forward of the primary spherical of the 2026 season in Qatar on 28 March.
Learn Additionally:
We would like your opinion!
What would you wish to see on Motorsport.com?
– The Motorsport.com Workforce
