Toyota triumphs at 24 Hours of Le Mans

For the first time since 2022, Toyota are winners at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. This year’s edition of the twice-around-the-clock endurance race saw Toyota break Ferrari’s three-year winning streak in the Hypercar class to claim their sixth outright win.

Toyota Racing entered two of their TR010 Hybrids in the Hypercar class this year. The #7 car was driven by Mike Conway, Kamui Kobayashi and Nyck de Vries, with the #8 car shared by Sebastien Buemi, Brendon Hartley and Ryo Hirakawa.

Against strong squads from Cadillac, Alpine, BMW and Ferrari, qualifying went poorly for the Toyota factory team, with their two entries only 14th and 15th fastest in Hyperpole. To overcome this disadvantage, both cars pitted early once the race got underway, bringing a clear track that resulted in the pair advancing into the top six and setting new fastest laps in the process.

Adversity for each car included a puncture for the #7 TR010, and an off-track excursion for #8, followed by a drive-through penalty. Despite this, #8 was in second place behind the #12 Cadillac with eight hours remaining, advancing to the lead when the Cadillac was given a drive-through penalty.

Brake damage that required time in the pits then dropped the #8 Toyota to fourth, but a safety car soon after to remove a retired Ferrari saw the pair of TR010s occupying third and fourth at the restart.

With less than five hours remaining, the leading #20 BMW lost time after messing up a pit entry, followed by issues for the #12 Cadillac. This elevated the Toyotas into first and second overall; the #8 car leading #7. The next pit sequence saw these positions reversed.

In the final hour, a resurgent #20 BMW passed the #8 Toyota, but couldn’t reel in the leading #7 car.

One of the closest and most unpredictable Le Mans in years finished with the #7 car winning by just 10.9 seconds from the #20 BMW, with the #8 Toyota completing the podium after a late tyre change.

For Conway and Kobayashi, this was their second Le Mans win, but the first for former F1 driver, de Vries.