Toyota Gazoo Racing (TGR) has announced its drivers for the 2024 FIA World Endurance Championship. Toyota will continue to field two of its GR010 Hybrid prototypes in the WEC’s premier category, Le Mans Hypercar (LMH), next season.
The Japanese manufacturer will not only be in search of its sixth consecutive set of World Championships next season but will also look to win the 24 Hours of Le Mans for the sixth time in seven years, after a narrow defeat in this year’s Centenary race.
Sébastien Buemi, Brendon Hartley, and Ryo Hirakawa will remain aboard the #8 Toyota, in pursuit of their third consecutive World Endurance Drivers’ Championships and second Le Mans victories together.
As a trio, they won two races and recorded six podiums this season, enough to win the Drivers’ Championship. They won Le Mans in their first try together in 2022 and finished a close second this past season.
“I am extremely happy to come back to WEC again next season with Toyota Gazoo Racing,” said four-time World Champion, four-time Le Mans overall winner, and TGR WEC senior driver Buemi. “We have been racing together since 2012, which is an incredibly long time for a driver to race with one team. It’s like a family to me and I feel privileged to be part of it. It’s great to again race alongside Ryo and Brendon. We won back-to-back championships together, plus a win and second place at Le Mans, so we have enjoyed some special moments. I hope we can continue to get stronger, and succeed, together. I can’t wait to go to Qatar and get the season started. Bring it on.”
“I am really proud to be part of this team, and to drive alongside Sébastien and Ryo in the #8 car,” added Hartley, himself a four-time World Champion and three-time Le Mans winner. “We have grown so much together as a driver crew over the past years and enjoyed some incredible moments. Of course, we will give our all to win a hat-trick of World Championships together as well as the big one, Le Mans. With the new competitors coming to WEC next season, the task is harder than ever but we’ll give it our all.”
“I’m delighted to continue with Sébastien and Brendon in the #8 car,” remarked Hirakawa. “This will be my third season in the team, and my third driving alongside them in the #8, and so far it has been a very special experience. We won the drivers’ championship two years in a row, and won Le Mans in 2022, and I am sure there is more to come. Next season will be even more challenging than ever but I am really looking forward to fighting to defend our title and aim for victory at Le Mans.”
Hirakawa will have an even busier schedule in 2024 than before, not only racing with Toyota but working with the McLaren Formula One team as its reserve driver.
On the other side of the garage, Kamui Kobayashi will continue in his role as both the Team Principal of Toyota Gazoo Racing and as the driver of the #7 Toyota alongside co-driver Mike Conway, the pair returning for their eighth season together.
Conway, Kobayashi, and TGR welcome back Nyck de Vries – who previously served as TGR’s test and reserve driver from 2020 to 2021 – as the third full-time driver of the #7 Toyota.
The Dutch driver is best known for his experience in Formula One and as a champion in Formula E and Formula 2. But he is also an experienced endurance racer who has made four starts at Le Mans and has won in the LMP2 category in both WEC and the European Le Mans Series.
“I am super excited to be returning to endurance racing, especially with Toyota Gazoo Racing,” said De Vries. “Endurance racing is something that I have always enjoyed and it is a discipline with incredible momentum at the moment. I was with the team in a different role for a few years but never got the chance to race, so it is great that the time has now arrived, and I want to thank the team for their continuous support and faith in me.
“I am very much looking forward to sharing car #7 with both Mike and Kamui. They are both very talented drivers who achieved a lot, and I am sure we will make a great team.”
De Vries will replace José Maria López, who remains with TGR but will stand down from top-tier prototype racing after a successful seven-year run with Conway and Kobayashi.
From 2017 to 2023, the trio of Conway, Kobayashi, and López won 15 WEC premier class races, headlined by a win at the 2021 24 Hours of Le Mans, the first for the new GR010 Hybrid – and two World Endurance Drivers’ Championships in 2019-20 and 2021.
As part of today’s announcements, López has been confirmed as one of the ace drivers for Akkodis ASP Team and its two Lexus RC F GT3s in the new LMGT3 class for 2024. López will be responsible for team and car development and supporting young and gentleman drivers in the pro-am category.
Kobayashi reflected on those years spent together, saying: “In motorsport, things are constantly evolving and it’s the same with driver line-ups. On car #7, Mike, José and me drove together since 2017, which is a really long time in any category. We enjoyed some amazing moments together, but also some tough times, particularly at Le Mans. I would like to thank José for his massive contribution, as a driver and a team-mate. He will always be a part of our Toyota Gazoo Racing family.
“At the same time, it is exciting to welcome Nyck back to the team as part of the #7 crew. We know from his time as our Test and Reserve Driver, plus his other racing, how quick and consistent he is. Next season again we have a top driver line-up in both cars, and this will be important when we face even more competitors in Hypercar. I am sure we will grow stronger together as a team over the winter, ready for the new challenge.”
“I am looking forward to the new season, which should be even more intense and exciting,” said Conway. “There are mixed emotions to be honest, because I have enjoyed six seasons working with José and we had lots of good times together, lots of wins. We became more than team-mates; we became true friends and that’s something I cherish.
“But I am happy to welcome Nyck to the #7 car next season and looking forward to driving with him. He’s a top driver and a team player so I am sure we will work well together. I can’t wait to get started.”
Feature image © Dailysportscar
Additional images © Toyota
