TOYOTA RACING celebrates a historic milestone for its hybrid technology as a new era of the WEC begins with the opening of the 2026 season in Italy on April 19. The 6 Hours of Imola will mark Toyota’s 100th WEC race with a hybrid-powered car, a milestone that highlights the team’s century of racing experience and the start of a new chapter in endurance racing.
Since the WEC’s return in 2012, Toyota has competed exclusively with hybrid technology, winning 13 world titles and 49 victories, including five 24 Hours of Le Mans. The 100th WEC race with hybrid cars will witness the debut of the new TOYOTA RACING branding and a revised TR010 HYBRID.
The update to the TR010 HYBRID represents a technical development for TOYOTA and TOYOTA RACING GmbH through racing prototypes in motorsport, grounded in engineering, reliability, and teamwork. The car’s dynamics are in tune with the latest design language of Toyota’s road cars, which led to aerodynamic changes that help the drivers push to their maximum in any situation.
To complement the bold new design, a striking livery based on TOYOTA red incorporates white to express the spirit of representing Japan. The white elements reflect a distinctly Japanese design inspired by the concept of “wind,” symbolizing the resolve to bring a fresh breath to the WEC. An exclusive Imola logo celebrates the milestone of 100 hybrid races in the WEC.
The heart of the TR010 HYBRID is its racing hybrid engine, developed at the Toyota technical center in Higashi-Fuji. It features a 3.5-liter twin-turbo V6 that runs on 100% renewable racing fuel and can deliver more than 700 hp. The team’s partners contribute their advanced technology to the hybrid engine and the front-axle inverter, as well as providing lightweight magnesium alloy wheels, high-performance lubricants for the engine, brake calipers, and discs.
The TR010 HYBRID will compete with more sustainable tires, after Michelin launched tires containing 50% recycled and renewable materials. The 2026 tires aim to reach operating temperature faster than the previous generation, without compromising durability.
Although the team’s identity, the car, and the tires have evolved, the driver lineup has been kept since 2025. Mike Conway, Kamui Kobayashi, and Nyck de Vries compete together for the third season in the TR010 HYBRID number 7, while Sébastien Buemi, Brendon Hartley, and Ryo Hirakawa pilot the number 8 car for the fifth consecutive year.
A renewed and revitalized TOYOTA RACING will compete against seven other Hypercar manufacturers over an eight-race season, which includes 72 hours of racing across four continents, featuring the team’s annual highlights: the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the 6 Hours of Fuji.
The season was slated to begin in Qatar in March, but regional events forced the postponement of the race. The championship now opens with a one-day test, the Prologue, on Tuesday, April 14, in Imola. The Enzo e Dino Ferrari International Circuit, at 4,909 meters, has already hosted the WEC twice, with the No. 7 car team winning in 2024.
After the Prologue, teams will have two days to rebuild the cars and optimize setups before two 90-minute free practice sessions on Friday (the 17th). The starting grid will be determined in qualifying and the Hyperpole on Saturday, while the one-hour race begins at 8 a.m. on Sunday. BandSports and YouTube will broadcast the race.
