TOYOTA RACING will bring the curtain down on a spectacular 2026 FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) season with a shoot-out for the drivers’ title in the 6 Hours of Monza on 8 November.
A one-two victory in the penultimate round in Barcelona secured the manufacturers’ World Championship for the team in its first season competing as TOYOTA RACING. It also guaranteed that one of its crews will become drivers’ champions in Italy.
Sébastien Buemi, Brendon Hartley and Ryō Hirakawa won the Barcelona race in their #8 TR010 HYBRID and hold the advantage in the title race, leading by 17 points. A top-five finish will ensure the trio win their third World Championship together, having previously triumphed in 2022 and 2023.
“It’s exciting to be going into the last race of the season fighting for the drivers’ title, and it’s nice to be able to do that with the manufacturers’ World Championship already in the bag,” commented Hartley. “Even though we have a decent gap over the sister car, championship deciders are always stressful, and you never know what will happen. So, we’ve got to be on top of our game all weekend.”
Le Mans winners Mike Conway, Kamui Kobayashi and Nyck de Vries are aiming for their first title together in the #7 TR010 HYBRID but they must overcome a 17-point deficit to take the crown. Mike and Kamui already have two titles to their name after wins in 2019-20 and 2021, while Nyck is chasing his first.
Regardless of the result, the 6 Hours of Monza will be a milestone for TOYOTA RACING. It marks the end of the TR010 HYBRID’s debut season, which has already delivered both World Championships and four race wins, including the Le Mans 24 Hours and the team’s home race at Fuji Speedway.
Monza will also see Mike’s last race, prior to his retirement from full-time competition. It will be his 86th race with the team since joining in 2014. Since then, he has won 20 races – including two Le Mans victories – and finished on the podium 47 times.
Two of Mike’s wins have come at Monza, the legendary Temple of Speed located in parkland close to Milan in northern Italy. In three WEC races there, the team has won twice – in 2021 and 2023 – and finished on the podium four times.
Like the Circuit de la Sarthe, Monza is famed for its long straights and tight chicanes, requiring good top speed and braking stability. The team will start its on-track preparations on Friday 6 November with two practice sessions before Hypercar qualifying the following day (3pm CET). The 6 Hours of Monza starts at 11am local time on Sunday 8 November.
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