Toyota GAZOO Racing’s campaign at the 93rd 24 Hours of Le Mans concluded with a hard-fought yet disappointing result, following an intense and competitive race against a formidable Hypercar field.
A record crowd of 332,000 witnessed 21 Hypercars representing eight manufacturers battle for endurance racing’s most prestigious prize. Marking the 40th anniversary of Toyota’s debut at Le Mans, the team demonstrated strong determination through strategic execution and consistent driving, but ultimately could not deliver the desired outcome.
The #7 GR010 HYBRID, driven by Mike Conway, Kamui Kobayashi and Nyck de Vries, overcame early contact and a pit lane penalty to recover 10 positions and finish sixth overall. Meanwhile, the #8 GR010 HYBRID of Sébastien Buemi, Brendon Hartley and Ryo Hirakawa led the race during the night and remained competitive until a mechanical issue resulted in significant time loss. The car ultimately finished 16th, seven laps behind the leaders.
Despite a strong team effort and moments of promise, TOYOTA GAZOO Racing was unable to match the pace of the frontrunners and saw its winning ambitions halted by mechanical setbacks and fierce competition. The #8 car lost crucial time when a component failure caused the front-left wheel to detach, forcing repairs and ending its podium hopes.
Both crews pushed relentlessly, with Kamui Kobayashi narrowing the gap to the #12 Cadillac before a late penalty sealed a sixth-place finish for car #7. The team now shifts focus to the next round of the FIA World Endurance Championship, the 6 Hours of São Paulo, on 13 July.
Quotes:
Kamui Kobayashi (Team Principal & Driver, #7):
“We gave it everything, but this year it wasn’t enough. Losing to Ferrari three times is not acceptable to me. We will return next year stronger and more determined.”
Mike Conway (Driver, #7):
“From 16th to sixth is a decent recovery, but not the result we were aiming for. We just lacked the performance to challenge for the win.”
Nyck de Vries (Driver, #7):
“We fought hard but didn’t have the speed to contend. It’s a difficult result to accept, but we leave without regrets.”
Sébastien Buemi (Driver, #8):
“A disappointing race overall. We stayed clean and consistent, but a mechanical issue ended our chances. We’ll analyse everything and improve for next year.”
Brendon Hartley (Driver, #8):
“We gave it our all. Even with limited pace, we were fighting for podiums before the issue. The whole team put in a massive effort.”
Ryo Hirakawa (Driver, #8):
“It was a tough 24 hours. We’re grateful for the support and will carry the lessons forward to the next race and beyond.”
