Toyota Gazoo Racing (TGR) presents the revised Hypercar HYBRID GR010 for the 2023 season to defend its FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) world title. At the same time, to maintain team dominance in the prestigious Le Mans 24 Hours event and against new competitors at the start of an exciting and challenging era.
Team TGR's incredible success, which includes five consecutive Le Mans wins and four consecutive WEC doubles so far, will be challenged by more entrants to the prestigious Hypercar class in seven races of the 2023 season, including the 100th Le Mans 24 Hours event. .
Cadillac, Ferrari, Porsche and Vanwall join the Hypercar competition alongside existing teams Peugeot and Glickenhaus to form 13 teams at WEC 2023. With more cars likely at Le Mans, it's expected to be a closely contested competition for the biggest prize in the world endurance race.
The first Toyota GR010 HYBRID was introduced in January 2021. During this time, the race car has undergone a detailed evolution program in key areas, as was the case in 2022 to optimize reliability and efficiency.
Adjustments have been made to the high-performance racing hybrid powertrain. It consists of a 3.5 liter 520 kW (707PS) engine and a 200 kW (272PS) electric motor. TGR engineers also reduced weight and increased reliability by leveraging unique knowledge gained from more than a decade of experience working with hybrid engines at Le Mans.
The most visible change to the GR010 HYBRID evolution for the 2023 season concerns the bodywork. New aerodynamic enhancements to the front corners and smaller rear wing end plates, as well as other detail changes, have been implemented to improve drivability and aerodynamic consistency.
Modifications have also been made to the bodywork with the aim of improving brake cooling and allowing for quick changes to cooling options during races which is achieved through new vents at the front and rear. Additionally, a revised headlamp layout was implemented to optimize visibility when driving at night.
Under the chassis, the HYBRID GR010 has undergone a weight saving program to reduce the overall weight to the minimum 1,040 kg permitted by regulations. The team developed this race car during the car design phase starting in 2020 as a result of how the Hypercar regulations at WEC developed.
HYBRID GR010 will again use 100% renewable biofuel fuel made from grape residues and agricultural materials to reduce CO2 emissions by at least 65% and contribute to ongoing efforts to increase the competitiveness of world endurance racing.
To complement these efforts, preheating of tires prior to use is no longer permitted thereby reducing energy consumption and emissions. As a result, Michelin has introduced a new range of tire compounds designed to reach peak operating temperatures quickly, while maintaining durability and performance.
Once again, the GR010 HYBRID benefits from the technical expertise of long-term partner Toyota Gazoo Racing, which continues to contribute significantly to its success. DENSO supplies radiators and spark plugs as well as contributes to the front motor with AISIN. RAYS presented light magnesium alloy wheels, Akebono provided monoblock alloy brake calipers and Mobil 1 as a racing engine lubricant.
Toyota Gazoo Racing has a driver line-up consisting exclusively of proven Le Mans winners and WEC champions. Mike Conway, Kamui Kobayashi and José María López will team up for the sixth straight season in car #7, while last year's Le Mans champions and world title winners Sébastien Buemi, Brendon Hartley and Ryo Hirakawa join forces in the #8 GR010 HYBRID.
The test and reserve driver role will be taken by Kazuki Nakajima who retires from racing at the end of 2021 after a career with three Le Mans and WEC World Championship wins, as well as two Formula Super titles. He will carry out this role parallel to his position as Vice Chairman of Toyota Gazoo Racing Europe.
The 2023 season kicks off March 11-12 with official pre-season tests, followed by the first race at the 1000 Miles of Sebring (March 17), before trips to Portimao (April 16) and Spa-Francorchamps (April 29). The highlight of the season, the centennial edition of Le Mans 24 Hours takes place June 10-11, before the final three races at Monza (July 9), Fuji Speedway (Sept. 10) and Bahrain (November 4).
