TOYOTA GAZOO Racing is set to tackle the iconic Le Mans 24 Hours race on June 15-16, targeting their sixth victory in this legendary event, which serves as round four of the 2024 FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) season.
As reigning World Champions with five wins in the past six editions, the team has meticulously prepared for the 92nd running of the Le Mans 24 Hours. Drivers, engineers, and mechanics are ready to harness their strong team spirit and engage in an epic battle for glory at La Sarthe.
Competing with two cars, TOYOTA GAZOO Racing joins a formidable 23-strong Hypercar grid, featuring rivals such as Alpine, BMW, Cadillac, Ferrari, Isotta Fraschini, Lamborghini, Peugeot, and Porsche, marking the largest top-class field at Le Mans in the 21st century. The #7 GR010 HYBRID will be driven by Mike Conway, Kamui Kobayashi, and Nyck de Vries, who have already secured a victory this season at Imola. The #8 GR010 HYBRID will be piloted by reigning World Champions Sébastien Buemi, Brendon Hartley, and Ryo Hirakawa.
Five of the team’s six drivers have previously stood on the top of the Le Mans podium. Sébastien Buemi boasts four victories, Brendon Hartley has three, while Mike Conway, Kamui Kobayashi, and Ryo Hirakawa each have one win. Nyck de Vries, making his top-class debut, has competed four times in LMP2. Notably, Kamui Kobayashi holds the fastest-ever lap record at the 13.626km Circuit de la Sarthe, with Mike Conway holding the race lap record.
Toyota’s legacy at Le Mans began nearly 40 years ago in 1985. Since then, the team has achieved five victories, 17 podiums, and eight pole positions, completing over 16,000 racing laps—equivalent to more than five times the Earth’s circumference.
This year, Kazuki Nakajima, Vice Chairman of TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Europe and one of only ten drivers to win Le Mans three consecutive years, will serve as Grand Marshal, an honor bestowed by the Automobile Club de l’Ouest. Nakajima will lead the field away on the formation lap on Saturday, June 15, in front of an anticipated 300,000 spectators.
The Le Mans 24 Hours has been a stage for showcasing cutting-edge automotive technologies and pioneering road-relevant innovations since its inception in 1923. Toyota, emphasizing its commitment to developing superior hybrid vehicles through endurance racing, has competed exclusively with a hybrid powertrain since its return in 2012. The 2024-spec GR010 HYBRID features a 200 kW (272 PS) hybrid motor on the front axle for four-wheel drive, paired with a 3.5-liter V6 twin-turbo engine running on 100% renewable biofuel.
In addition to leveraging its latest technology on the track, TOYOTA GAZOO Racing engages fans around the circuit. Last year, the team introduced the hydrogen engine GR H2 Racing Concept as a preview of a potential Le Mans future. This year, hydrogen technology will be showcased at the Hydrogen Village exhibition, complemented by displays at the Manufacturers Village focusing on the team’s motorsport projects and philosophy.
Fans can get a closer look at the GR010 HYBRIDs on Saturday, June 8, during the traditional scrutineering in Le Mans center, followed by a 2.1km procession through the city at 3:30 pm. An official test day on June 9 will feature six hours of action.
The race week kicks off with two practice sessions on Wednesday, June 12, followed by qualifying. The fastest eight cars from each class will progress to Hyperpole at 8 pm CEST on Thursday. After the driver parade on Friday, the race begins at 4 pm on Saturday, June 15.
