This weekend at the Imola 6 Hours, Toyota Gazoo Racing will make its 100th start in the FIA World Endurance Championship, cementing its status as the championship's longest-serving and most resilient manufacturer. Since the WEC's rebirth in 2012, Toyota has been the constant, weathering the comings and goings of rivals, seismic industry shifts, and even a global pandemic. Their journey is a masterclass in endurance, defined as much by agonizing heartbreak as by dominant triumph.
The road was far from smooth. For years, Toyota's quest for victory at Le Mans and in the WEC was a story of near-misses and mechanical misfortune, particularly during the LMP1 era. That relentless pursuit, however, forged a team of incredible resilience. The breakthrough finally came, transforming them into a near-unbeatable force and setting the stage for their current role as a cornerstone of the new Hypercar era, where they remain a formidable challenger to benchmarks like Ferrari.
Reflecting on this legacy, Kazuki Nakajima—a driver from Toyota's first WEC race and now the team's vice-chairman—highlighted the unique support behind the program. "We are very lucky to be in this situation where we can continue pushing like this," Nakajima said, emphasizing the role of motorsport as a platform for innovation, particularly with future technologies like hydrogen.
Marking this centenary race, Toyota will debut the evolved TR010 Hybrid at Imola, a significant update to the GR010 that has carried their colors in the Hypercar class. As they gear up for this milestone, let's look back at the defining chapters of Toyota's WEC saga, from the early promise of the TS030 Hybrid to the hard-earned glory that followed.
The story began in 2012. While Toyota missed the season's opening rounds, their TS030 Hybrid arrived at Le Mans with immediate pace, briefly leading the race. The dream, however, was shattered by a dramatic, airborne accident for Anthony Davidson after contact with a Ferrari, a brutal introduction to the fine margins of endurance racing. It was a poignant start to a long and dramatic journey toward the top step of the podium.