Toyota Gazoo Racing’s five 24 Hours of Le Mans winning cars have been brought together for the first time to celebrate the centenary edition of the legendary race and create another piece of history ahead of the 2023 edition.
Since its first victory in 2018, Toyota Gazoo Racing has preserved each winning car in the exact condition in which it reached the checkered flag, capturing the eternal challenge of 24-hour racing at the moment of their greatest triumph.
To celebrate Toyota’s place in Le Mans history and mark another step towards the centenary edition, earlier this week all five cars took pride of place at the final chicane of the Circuit de la Sarthe for a reference photo shoot.
The five Toyota winners at Le Mans
Photo by: Toyota
Following their victories, the 2018 winner was hosted at the team’s headquarters in Cologne, the 2019 car was proudly displayed in its home country of Japan, while the 2020 example was permanently loaned at the 24 Hours Museum, meaning the three victorious TS050 Hybrids have never been seen together before.
The winning GR010 Hybrid Hypercar of 2021 can usually be found in Cologne, while the following year’s one is regularly exhibited to fans in Japan.
Ahead of Le Mans 2023, four of the half-winners traveled together and visited Toyota Motor Manufacturing France in Valenciennes. At the Yaris and Yaris Cross production site in Europe, they were greeted by some of the plant’s 5,000 employees, who sent good luck messages to the team before the cars continued their journey to La Sarthe.
The five Toyota winners at Le Mans
Photo by: Toyota
Once reunited with the 2020 TS050 Hybrid at Le Mans, they are posed in a historic photo shoot. All five Toyotas, along with 60 other winners, will be on display at the 24 Hours Museum from 1 June to 2 July.
Additionally, the 2018 and 2022 winners will come to life once again on Saturday 10 June, when they will be part of a highlight of the celebrations. The unique Centenary Parade of Ex-Le Mans Cars brings together legendary cars from the last hundred years for one lap around the 13.626km circuit.
Driving the cars will be two former winners with a special place in Le Mans history, Alex Wurz and Kazuki Nakajima. The Austrian, who will ride the 2018 TS050 Hybrid, remains the youngest winner ever and led Toyota’s comeback in 2012, remaining a key member of the team even after his retirement from racing. Kazuki, now Vice President of Toyota Gazoo Racing Europe, was the first Japanese to take a pole position and the only one to win three times. He will drive the 2022 GR010 Hybrid.
The five Toyota winners at Le Mans
Photo by: Toyota
During the four seasons from 2016 to 2020, the TS050 Hybrids competed in 34 WEC races, taking 19 victories, for a win rate of 55%, and finishing on the podium 46 times, capturing two doubles in the Constructors’ and Drivers’ World Championship .
In addition to the trophies, the TS050 Hybrid broke a record and was the most efficient Le Mans car of the modern era. Underscoring Toyota’s commitment to building ever better cars for motorsports and advancing hybrid technology for its customers, the TS050 Hybrid achieved an unprecedented 10-second lap time improvement while consuming 35% less fuel than in 2012, Toyota’s first hybrid participation in Le Mans.
The TS050 Hybrids have won three times at Le Mans and achieved four pole positions, as well as recording the fastest lap ever, at an average speed of 251.9 km/h by Kamui Kobayashi in 2017 qualifying, and the best lap in the race, set by Mike Conway in 2019 at an average of 248.6 km/h.
The GR010 Hybrids have entered 15 WEC races since 2021 and won 13 times, with a win ratio of 86%, including the current streak of five consecutive races from the 2022 Fuji 6 Hours to the Spa-Francorchamps 6 Hours. The car is unbeaten at Le Mans, with consecutive one-two finishes in 2021 and 2022, each time after grabbing the front row in qualifying.
The first 24 Hours of Le Mans was held in 1923, on a circuit which shares many of the same iconic features as today’s track. This year’s centenary edition will be the 91st of the race and the 25th time Toyota has taken on the challenge since its debut in 1985.
The five Toyota winners at Le Mans
Photo by: Toyota
TOYOTA – TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS |
||
|
TS050 HYBRID LMP1 |
GR010 HYBRID HYPERCAR |
Motor |
V6 Bi-Turbo direct injection |
V6 Bi-Turbo direct injection |
Displacement |
2.4 liters |
3.5 liters |
Maximum power |
735kW / 1000hp |
520kW / 707hp |
Hybrid |
368kW / 500hp |
200kW / 272hp |
Exchange |
6-speed sequential transverse |
7-speed sequential transverse |
Reservoir |
62.5 litres |
90 litres |
Length |
4650mm |
4900mm |
Length |
1900mm |
2000mm |
Height |
1050mm |
1150mm |
Weight |
878kg |
1040kg |
You look for |
RAYS in magnesium Front: 13 x 18″ Rear: 13 x 18″ |
RAYS in magnesium Front: 12.5 x 18″ Rear: 14 x 18″ |
Erasers |
Michelins Front: 31/71-18 Rear: 31/71-18 |
Michelins Front: 29/71-18 Rear: 34/71-18 |
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