Mike Conway and his TOYOTA GAZOO Racing takes on the challenge of an ultra-competitive Hypercar grid in the 93rd edition of the Le Mans 24 Hours this weekend.

The event also marks the 40th anniversary since Toyota’s first appearance in endurance racing’s most prestigious event.

With its proven GR010 HYBRID race cars, TOYOTA GAZOO Racing aims to defeat a 21-strong Hypercar field – featuring a total of eight manufacturers – to win for the sixth time at La Sarthe and strengthen its bid for the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) titles. Le Mans offers double points, which can accelerate the team’s World Championship challenge. It currently sits second in the manufacturers’ standings after maintaining a 100% points-scoring run in the season’s opening three rounds, despite difficult circumstances.

On the 40th anniversary of Toyota’s first participation at Le Mans, the team will fight for victory in front of a sell-out crowd of over 320,000 fans and show off a unique combination of livery designs on its two GR010 HYBRID race cars, which highlights its iconic past and determined present.

The #7 GR010 HYBRID of Mike Conway, Kamui Kobayashi and Nyck de Vries will carry a red and white livery inspired by the TS020 which participated in 1998. This one-off design is intended to excite fans by connecting them with endurance racing’s rich history, strengthening their passion for motorsports.

TOYOTA GAZOO Racing’s countdown to Le Mans kicked off with an in-house event on 7 May at the team’s base in Cologne, Germany. After the arrival of the hybrid powertrains – the beating hearts of the GR010 HYBRIDs – from Higashi-Fuji in Japan, employees in Cologne joined the race team to express their never-give-up spirit and determination to challenge as one team for victory in Le Mans. On-track preparations for the 93rd Le Mans 24 Hours will begin with the official test day on Sunday, the only opportunity for teams to drive on the Circuit de la Sarthe before official practice sessions begin on Wednesday 11 June.

This year’s race will take Toyota to 27 appearances since it made its Le Mans debut in 1985. Prior to this year’s race, a total of 61 Toyota cars have competed at La Sarthe, in 26 editions of the Le Mans 24 Hours, earning five wins, 18 podiums and eight pole positions, whilst also setting the fastest-ever lap of the Circuit de la Sarthe, achieved by Kamui in 2017.

Toyota advances its technology through participation at Le Mans, where components must withstand high temperatures and extreme vibrations over 24 hours of racing. Since returning to La Sarthe in 2012, Toyota has competed exclusively with hybrid powertrains, strengthening this technology in an arena which requires both high performance and exceptional efficiency.

The 2025-specification GR010 HYBRID features a 200 kW (272PS) hybrid motor on the front axle to deliver four-wheel drive, alongside a 3.5litre V6 twin-turbo engine, which runs on 100% renewable biofuel.

As well as the unique GR010 HYBRID liveries, the 40th anniversary is also celebrated at a dedicated fan area in the Manufacturers Village. Meanwhile, there will be a glimpse of the future at the Hydrogen Village, which highlights ongoing hydrogen racing projects and showcases how motorsports contribute to the development of technologies with the potential to achieve a carbon neutral, sustainable future.

Speaking ahead of the weekend, Conway said: “I can’t wait to get back on track at Le Mans, especially after missing the race last year due to injury. Luckily the time has passed really quickly, and I’m really excited for the week ahead.

“As always, Le Mans is the main focus of our year, and we develop and focus just for this race, so it is a huge week for our team. I am excited, the team is excited and it’s the 40th anniversary of Toyota’s first Le Mans so it is going to be something special.”