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Toyota GR010 Hybrid

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The Toyota GR010 Hybrid is a sports prototype racing car developed for the 2021 Le Mans Hypercar rules in the FIA World Endurance Championship. The car is the successor of the Toyota TS050 Hybrid, which competed in the WEC from 2016 to 2020, achieving two double WEC world titles and three straight victories at the 24 Hours of Le Mans from 2018 to 2020. The GR010 Hybrid was revealed online on 15 January 2021.[4][5]

Toyota GR010 Hybrid
The GR010 Hybrid being driven at the 2024 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps
CategoryLe Mans Hypercar
ConstructorToyota
Designer(s)France Pascal Vasselon (Technical Director)[1]
Netherlands John Litjens (Project Leader, Chassis)[2]
Japan Hisatake Murata (Technical Director, Power Unit)
PredecessorToyota TS050 Hybrid
Technical specifications
ChassisCarbon fibre and aluminium honeycomb monocoque
Suspension (front)Independent, double wishbone, pushrod-system
Suspension (rear)Independent, double wishbone, pushrod-system
Length4,900 mm (193 in; 16 ft)
Width2,000 mm (79 in; 7 ft)
Height1,150 mm (45 in; 4 ft)
EngineToyota Gazoo Racing H8909 XL 3.5 L (214 cu in) 90-degree V6 twin-turbo mid, longitudinally mounted with 4WD system
Electric motorToyota Hybrid System – Racing (THS-R), Li-ion Batteries
TransmissionToyota with Aisin internals transverse 7-speed + 1 reverse sequential semi-automatic
Power500 kW (671 hp) (ICE) 200 kW (268 hp) (electric motors)
Weight1,040 kg (2,293 lb)
FuelTotalEnergies Excellium
LubricantsMobil 1
BrakesBrembo carbon ventilated front and rear discs + Brembo pads + Akebono calipers
TyresMichelin radial slicks with Rays one-piece forged alloys, 29/71-18 front and 34/71-18 rear[3]
Competition history
Notable entrantsJapan Toyota Gazoo Racing
Notable drivers
Debut2021 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps
First win2021 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps
Last win2024 8 Hours of Bahrain
Last event2024 8 Hours of Bahrain
RacesWinsPodiumsPolesF/Laps
2618321212
Constructors' Championships4 (2021 FIA WEC, 2022 FIA WEC, 2023 FIA WEC, 2024 FIA WEC)
Drivers' Championships3 (2021 FIA WEC, 2022 FIA WEC, 2023 FIA WEC)

As of 2024, Toyota GR010 Hybrid remains the most-successful Toyota-built Le Mans Hypercar race car to date.

Development

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Rear view

The GR010's design is inspired by the Toyota GR Super Sport Concept presented at the 2018 Tokyo Auto Salon, considered to be the GR010's road version counterpart.[5] Its engine is a 3.5 L twin-turbocharged petrol V6 with a hybrid system, which uses lithium-ion batteries.[5][6]

The car's first rollout took place at Paul Ricard in October 2020.[7] A second test took place at Portimao in December 2020.[8]

The road car programme developed in parallel with the racing programme was cancelled early in 2021.

Lexus North America actively considered entering a Lexus-badged GR010 in the IMSA championship, although the project was not pursued.[9]

Competition history

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2021

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For the GR010 Hybrid's debut season, Toyota maintained their driver lineup unchanged from the 2019–20 FIA World Endurance Championship, with Kamui Kobayashi, Mike Conway and José María López in car #7 and Sébastien Buemi, Kazuki Nakajima, and Brendon Hartley in car #8. Nyck de Vries remained as test driver, with Ryō Hirakawa joining him in development duties halfway through the year.[6][10]

The 2021 WEC season was a complete success for Toyota and the GR010 Hybrid, with the car winning all 6 races of its debut season, securing pole position and fastest lap at 5 of them and having both cars in the podium at every race except Monza, where the #8 car had reliability issues. With the win in the first leg of the Bahrain double-header finale Toyota secured the Hypercar World Endurance Championship. Furthermore, at the 2021 24 Hours of Le Mans, Toyota would secure their fourth straight overall win in the event and the first for the #7 crew of Conway, Kobayashi and López, who would go on to repeat as World Endurance Drivers' Champions at the end of the year.

2022

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During 2022 Le Mans, scoring 1st and 2nd overall

After its inaugural season, Toyota would go on to repeat their success from 2021 in the 2022 WEC season with the GR010 Hybrid. They would maintain their lineup of Kamui Kobayashi, Mike Conway and José María López in their #7 car while for the #8 car they would bring in Ryō Hirakawa to join Sébastien Buemi and Brendon Hartley.[11]

Despite a crash in the 1000 Miles of Sebring[12] and a retirement during the 6 Hours of Spa,[13] both Toyota cars would podium in every race including the 24 Hours of Le Mans, 6 Hours of Fuji, and 8 Hours of Bahrain all of which they finished both first and second. This led to them winning the 2022 Hypercar World Endurance Constructors Championship. In the driver's championship, the crew of the #8 car would become the 2022 Hypercar World Endurance Drivers Champions and the #7 car would place third in the standings.[14]

2023

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The No. 7 GR010 Hybrid at the 2023 24 Hours of Le Mans

Having won the last two Hypercar World Endurance Championships, the GR010 Hybrid would go on to once again carry Toyota to even more success. Toyota kept the same drivers from the year prior with Kamui Kobayashi, Mike Conway, and José María López in the #7 car and Ryō Hirakawa, Sébastien Buemi, and Brendon Hartley in the #8 car.

Toyota started the season by finishing the 1000 Miles of Sebring in first and second place and they would continue this success throughout the season with only 3 finishes outside the top two. One of these finishes occurred during the 24 Hours of Le Mans when the #7 Toyota was hit by another car while slowing down for a collision which forced the Toyota to retire due to the damage,[15] leaving the #8 car to finish third. Nevertheless, the team convincingly won the 2023 Hypercar World Endurance Constructors Championship with 217 points. The crew of the #8 car would once again win the Hypercar World Endurance Driver Championship, with the crew of the #7 car taking second place.[16]

2024

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The No. 7 GR010 Hybrid finished second in the 2024 24 Hours of Le Mans

The GR010 returned to defend both titles in 2024. The lineup for #8 car remains the same as it was in 2023, while Nyck de Vries joining the #7 lineup replacing López who departed the team to join ASP in the LMGT3 class.[17] The car sported a new matte black livery to represent Toyota's efforts in producing ever-better motorsports-bred cars and continuing their evolution.[18]

At the season-opening Qatar 1812 km, Toyota missed out on the podium for the first time since the 2018 6 Hours of Silverstone with the #7 finishing sixth, while the #8 finished ninth, with the drivers attributing it with the lack of pace.[19] The team only took three wins that year, namely in Imola, São Paulo, and the title-deciding finale in Bahrain where they pipped Porsche by six points to take the Manufacturers' Championship despite both cars losing out to the #6 Porsche in the Drivers' Championship.[20]

Complete World Endurance Championship results

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Results in bold indicate pole position. Results in italics indicate fastest lap.

Year Entrant Class Drivers No. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Points Pos
2021 Toyota Gazoo Racing Hypercar SPA POR MON LMN BHR BHR 206 1st
  Mike Conway 7 3 2 1 1 1 2
  Kamui Kobayashi 3 2 1 1 1 2
  José María López 3 2 1 1 1 2
  Brendon Hartley 8 1 1 33 2 2 1
  Sébastien Buemi 1 1 33 2 2 1
  Kazuki Nakajima 1 1 33 2 2 1
2022 Toyota Gazoo Racing Hypercar SEB SPA LMN MON FUJ BHR 186 1st
  Mike Conway 7 Ret 1 2 3 2 1
  Kamui Kobayashi Ret 1 2 3 2 1
  José María López Ret 1 2 3 2 1
  Brendon Hartley 8 2 Ret 1 2 1 2
  Sébastien Buemi 2 Ret 1 2 1 2
  Ryō Hirakawa 2 Ret 1 2 1 2
2023 Toyota Gazoo Racing Hypercar SEB POR SPA LMN MON FUJ BHR 217 1st
  Mike Conway 7 1 9 1 Ret 1 1 2
  Kamui Kobayashi 1 9 1 Ret 1 1 2
  José María López 1 9 1 Ret 1 1 2
  Brendon Hartley 8 2 1 2 2 6 2 1
  Sébastien Buemi 2 1 2 2 6 2 1
  Ryō Hirakawa 2 1 2 2 6 2 1
2024 Toyota Gazoo Racing Hypercar QAT IMO SPA LMN SAP AUS FUJ BHR 190 1st
  Mike Conway 7 6 1 7 4 2 Ret Ret
  Kamui Kobayashi 6 1 7 2 4 2 Ret Ret
  Nyck de Vries 6 1 7 2 4 2 Ret Ret
  José María López 2
  Brendon Hartley 8 9 5 6 5 1 15 10 1
  Sébastien Buemi 9 5 6 5 1 15 10 1
  Ryō Hirakawa 9 5 6 5 1 15 10 1
Sources:[21][22][23]

References

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  1. ^ "24 Hours of Le Mans - TOYOTA GAZOO RACING to upgrade the GR010 Hybrid". 24 Hours of Le Mans. 24 November 2022. Retrieved 6 February 2023.
  2. ^ "Toyota unveils 2021 GR010 Hybrid Le Mans Hypercar". Motor Sport. 14 January 2021. Retrieved 21 January 2023.
  3. ^ "Entry List 2023" (PDF). 24 Hours of Le Mans (in French). Retrieved 3 July 2023.
  4. ^ "Toyota Gazoo Racing introduces GR010 Hybrid hypercar". Toyota. 14 January 2021. Archived from the original on 16 January 2021. Retrieved 15 January 2021.
  5. ^ a b c Zachariah, Ben (15 January 2021). "Toyota Gazoo Racing unveils GR010 hybrid racer". CarAdvice. CarAdvice.com Pty Ltd. Archived from the original on 16 January 2021. Retrieved 15 January 2021.
  6. ^ a b Watkins, Gary (15 January 2021). "Toyota launches GR010 Hybrid hypercar in livery". Motorsport.com Australia. Archived from the original on 16 January 2021. Retrieved 15 January 2021.
  7. ^ Daniel Lloyd (28 October 2020). "Toyota LMH Car Completes First Test at Paul Ricard". sportscar365.com. Archived from the original on 30 November 2020. Retrieved 15 January 2021.
  8. ^ Zane Shackleton (20 December 2020). "Hartley gets second test in new Toyota Le Mans Hypercar". velocitynews.co.nz. Archived from the original on 16 January 2021. Retrieved 15 January 2021.
  9. ^ Goodwin, Graham (25 May 2022). "Hypercar/ GTP Catch-Up: Toyota & Lexus". dailysportscar.com. Retrieved 26 May 2022.
  10. ^ Jamie Klein (2 June 2021). "Hirakawa handed surprise Toyota WEC hypercar test chance". autosport.com. Retrieved 20 November 2021.
  11. ^ "TEAM & DRIVER | 2022 | WEC". Toyota Gazoo Racing. Retrieved 4 January 2024.
  12. ^ Huge Crash For Toyota #7 | 1000 Miles Of Sebring 2022, 18 March 2022, retrieved 4 January 2024
  13. ^ Leading Toyota #8 OUT | WEC 6 Hours Of Spa 2022, 7 May 2022, retrieved 4 January 2024
  14. ^ "Season 2022 results - FIA World Endurance Championship". www.fiawec.com. Retrieved 4 January 2024.
  15. ^ The Toyota #7 caught in a race incident I 2023 24 Hours of Le Mans I FIA WEC, 10 June 2023, retrieved 4 January 2024
  16. ^ "Season 2023 results - FIA World Endurance Championship". www.fiawec.com. Retrieved 4 January 2024.
  17. ^ Thukral, Rachit (20 November 2023). "De Vries Replaces Lopez in Toyota's WEC 2024 Line-up". Motorsport.com. Archived from the original on 25 December 2023. Retrieved 5 September 2024.
  18. ^ "New Livery for the Toyota GR010 Hybrid Hypercars". 24 Hours of Le Mans. 12 December 2023. Archived from the original on 20 January 2024.
  19. ^ "Hard-earned points for TOYOTA GAZOO Racing". Toyota Gazoo Racing Europe (Press release). 3 March 2024. Archived from the original on 25 April 2024. Retrieved 16 September 2024.
  20. ^ Newbold, James (3 November 2024). "WEC Bahrain: Toyota wins thriller to secure manufacturers' crown, Porsche seals drivers'". Motorsport.com. Retrieved 3 November 2024.
  21. ^ "Season 2021 Results". FIA World Endurance Championship. Archived from the original on 25 May 2022. Retrieved 11 June 2024.
  22. ^ "Season 2022 Results". FIA World Endurance Championship. Archived from the original on 24 March 2023. Retrieved 11 June 2024.
  23. ^ "Season 2023 Results". FIA World Endurance Championship. Archived from the original on 18 January 2024. Retrieved 11 June 2024.
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