Toyota will introduce the primary replace of its GR010 HYBRID Le Mans Hypercar for 4 years in time for the beginning of the 2026 World Endurance Championship marketing campaign.
Kazuki Nakajima, vice-chairman of Toyota Gazoo Racing Europe, confirmed that there will likely be an improve of its Hypercar class contender launched in 2021 centered on aerodynamics.
This occurred throughout a press briefing for the Japanese automotive media over final weekend’s Fuji WEC spherical.
“We’re actively working to introduce a brand new package deal for subsequent 12 months,” mentioned Nakajima, who moved into his present managerial place on his retirement from the cockpit on the finish of 2021.
“We plan to begin testing the advanced automobile with this new aerodynamic package deal in early October.”
He said that the intent was for Toyota to return to the winner’s circle on the Le Mans 24 Hours.
#8 Toyota Gazoo Racing Toyota GR010 – Hybrid: Sebastien Buemi, Kazuki Nakajima
Photograph by: Toyota Racing
The Japanese marque has not received the French enduro since 2022 and this 12 months the GR010 lacked substantial efficiency, as Toyota completed no increased than fifth.
“At Le Mans, we had been slower than our rivals when it comes to high pace,” he defined. “This race made us keenly conscious that, even throughout the guidelines, there’s rather more we are able to do in these areas.
“The complete workforce is united in our dedication to completely win subsequent 12 months’s Le Mans, and we’re presently getting ready for that.”
Toyota driver Kamui Kobayashi, who can be workforce principal of the producer’s WEC squad, provided some extra perception into the plans within the wake of the Fuji race.
“We have to clear the issues we’ve been having and construct a automobile that’s loopy quick, after which have it adjusted by the Stability of Efficiency,” he mentioned.
Kobayashi added that Toyota wanted to develop a automobile that’s “so quick it’s able to successful even when given the utmost weight and minimal energy by the BoP”.
#7 Toyota Gazoo Racing Toyota GR010 – Hybrid: Kamui Kobayashi
Photograph by: Andreas Beil
Toyota’s 2025 WEC season, by which it has up to now did not register a podium, has been hamstrung by the BoP, operating near the minimal energy of 480kW (643bhp) and nearest of all of the Hypercar contenders to the utmost weight of 1100kg together with Ferrari.
At Fuji, the Toyota raced at 483kW and 1069kg. A primary take a look at of the newest model of the GR010 is believed to be scheduled for Paul Ricard in early October.
The enhancements will likely be undertaken beneath the evo joker guidelines set out in each units of rules, LMH and LMDh, to which automobiles may be constructed for the WEC’s Hypercar class.
Evo joker efficiency developments must be accredited by WEC rule makers the FIA and the Car Membership de l’Ouest, and Toyota conceded final 12 months that it could be allowed no updates for 2025 after a season by which it claimed the producers’ title and received three races.
The aero modifications for Toyota will coincide with a brand new spherical of homologation testing within the full-size Windshear windtunnel in North Carolina.
LMHs had been beforehand homologated within the Sauber windtunnel, which is not accessible, whereas LMDhs competing within the WEC needed to go to each the Swiss facility and Windshear.
#8 Toyota Gazoo Racing Toyota GR010 – Hybrid: Sébastien Buemi, Brendon Hartley, Ry? Hirakawa
Photograph by: James Moy Images by way of Getty Photos
Toyota’s GR010 underwent its solely efficiency upgrades for its second and third seasons, 2022 and ’23.
The primary set was centered on the change from equal dimension tyres entrance and rear, as demanded within the authentic LMH rules, to narrower fronts and wider rears.
These modifications didn’t depend in the direction of its tally of evo jokers as a result of Toyota efficiently argued that the design of the GR010 had been compromised by the modifications within the LMH rules to deliver them in keeping with the LMDh class that got here on stream in 2023.
Toyota, together with the vast majority of the opposite producers, has by no means revealed what number of jokers it has performed. It’s allowed a complete of seven as much as the top of the homologation of present automobiles in Hypercar in 2029.
