Forget the doubters, because Toyota has officially silenced them all. As Motorsport.com reports, team principal and driver Kamui Kobayashi feels the Japanese marque's incredible run in the 2026 World Endurance Championship is the ultimate answer to those who questioned whether the squad could hack it against heavy factory opposition in the Hypercar era.
That dominant streak comes courtesy of a heavily overhauled V6-powered LMH machine, now officially rebranded as the TR010 Hybrid. The beast has well and truly re-established Toyota as the benchmark of the class. After securing a glorious Le Mans 24 Hours victory in June for the first time since 2022, the squad went on to wrap up the manufacturers’ crown with a race to spare in Barcelona. Meanwhile, the drivers’ title is set to be settled entirely between their own crews.
Here is the thing: those triumphs arrive after a deeply painful 2025 campaign. That year was a particular low point featuring operational mistakes and zero wins until the Bahrain season finale, which led critics to claim the team only triumphed during a lean period of sparse factory competition. But facing a massive field of 17 cars and eight manufacturers this season, the squad proved they can beat the absolute best.
"We have been struggling in Le Mans the last few years. And everybody told me that when the competitors were back in this championship, Toyota was not strong enough," Kobayashi pointed out in the Barcelona press conference. "But this year we won Le Mans, and we won manufacturers’ again. So this year and this era, it's very high competition. Every team and every manufacturer is doing an amazing job."
The challenge is only going to get crazier, too. Kobayashi noted that next year welcomes the returns of both McLaren and Ford, meaning the fight will step up another gear. But with four wins out of seven races so far under the new TR010 Hybrid banner—plus a near-miss at Austin where a late hydraulic issue cruelly robbed Kobayashi, Nyck de Vries, and Mike Conway of the top spot—the team has completely turned a corner.
Improvements haven't just been mechanical, either. Kobayashi highlighted sharper pitwall execution, such as a surprise victory at Fuji, and an overall rise in morale. As he put it, each member has had more smiles this year because they finally have a proper machine underneath them.
