GR010 HYBRID enters its third year of Hypercar competition

The GR010 HYBRID was developed by TOYOTA GAZOO Racing as the successor to the TS050 HYBRID in compliance with LMH (Le Mans Hypercar) regulations, and it has competed in the WEC (World Endurance Championship) in the pinnacle Hypercar class newly launched in 2021. In that inaugural 2021 season, two TOYOTA GAZOO Racing cars participated in the Hypercar class, namely cars No. 7 and No. 8, and they won all of the races in the series, which included winning the 24 Hours of Le Mans for the fourth consecutive year and taking the series championship for the third year in a row. In its second year, the GR010 HYBRID won the team’s fifth consecutive Le Mans title with a 1-2 finish and took both the Manufacturer and Driver titles for the fourth consecutive season in the series.

The 2023 model GR010 HYBRID that will compete in the WEC Hypercar class for the third season represents a further evolution of the car based on experience and knowledge accumulated over the previous two seasons of actual racing, and it includes improvements in detailed areas to optimize reliability and efficiency.

The most obvious advancement featured in the 2023 model GR010 HYBRID is seen in the bodywork. To improve maneuverability and aerodynamic stability, new dive plane aerodynamic devices (canards) have been installed in the front on the right and left sides, while the rear wing endplates have been downsized, and smaller detail changes have also been made. New ventilation measures have also been added to the front and rear of the car to facilitate brake cooling and enable quick changes in cooling settings during a race. In addition, the headlight layout has been changed to improve visibility when driving at night.

The basic power train adopts fundamentally the same format as the previous model, with the rear wheels driven by a 3.5-liter V-6 direct-injection turbocharged engine, while the front wheels are driven by a 200 kW (272 PS) electric motor powered by a lithium-ion battery, but new weight-reducing measures are employed, and reliability is strengthened. However, when racing in the World Championship (WEC), the total power of the four wheels is subject to performance adjustment in accordance with the BoP (balance of power) regulation.

Furthermore, efforts have been undertaken to reduce the vehicle weight to approach the minimum vehicle weight of 1040 kg allowed under the regulations for the 2023 season. These efforts have compensated for the fact that the GR010 HYBRID, which was still in the design stage in 2020 and could not fully answer the demands of the changes in the Hypercar regulation. However, additional weight loads may be imposed to compensate for actual vehicle weight at the start of the race depending on the BoP.

As the GR010 HYBRID now enters its third season as a Hypercar, the team aims to win its sixth consecutive victory at the time-honored 24 Hours of Le Mans, the fourth round of the series, as well as taking a fifth consecutive series championship title.

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