Toyota Racing secured one of the most thrilling victories in its history at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, emerging triumphant from a race filled with twists, strategic battles and intense competition right up to the chequered flag. The 94th edition of the legendary French endurance race, which forms part of the 2026 FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC), delivered spectacular entertainment for the record crowd of 350,105 spectators in attendance, who witnessed Toyota claim its sixth overall victory at Le Mans.
Mike Conway, Kamui Kobayashi and Nyck de Vries were the stars of the event, guiding the No. 7 Toyota GR010 HYBRID to victory after completing 381 gruelling laps. The crew held their nerve throughout the race, crossing the finish line just 10.913 seconds ahead of their nearest rivals. The victory marked a second Le Mans triumph for Conway and Kobayashi, following their success in 2021, while it was the first outright victory at the world’s most famous endurance race for Nyck de Vries.
Toyota’s achievement was further enhanced by the outstanding performance of its second car. Sébastien Buemi, Brendon Hartley and Ryō Hirakawa brought the No. 8 Toyota GR010 HYBRID home in third place, only 20.417 seconds behind the winning sister car, securing a valuable double podium for the Japanese manufacturer.
The race was anything but easy for Toyota. Following a disappointing Hyperpole qualifying session, which left both cars starting from the lower reaches of the Hypercar grid, the team opted for an aggressive strategy involving early pit stops to take advantage of clean air and gain valuable track position. However, the No. 7 car suffered a puncture early in the race, while the No. 8 car went off the track, received a drive-through penalty and experienced a technical issue with the brakes.
A safety-car period about six hours from the finish brought the crews back into close contention and set the stage for a spectacular four-car battle for the win. With three hours remaining, Brendon Hartley and Nyck de Vries executed a series of impressive overtaking manoeuvres that temporarily placed Toyota in first and second positions. Ultimately, Kamui Kobayashi kept his composure under intense pressure and guided the No. 7 Toyota GR010 HYBRID to victory, securing yet another Le Mans triumph for Toyota Racing and a significant lead in both the manufacturers’ championship and the drivers’ standings.
Le Mans 24 Hours final standings
| Position | Car No. | Team | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | #7 | Toyota Racing | 381 laps |
| 2nd | #20 | BMW M Team WRT | +10.913 secs |
| 3rd | #8 | Toyota Racing | +20.417 secs |
| 4th | #12 | Cadillac Hertz Team JOTA | +32.381 secs |
| 5th | #51 | Ferrari AF Corse | +2 mins 22.423 secs |
| 6th | #35 | Alpine Endurance Team | +2 mins 30.205 secs |
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