MissionH24’s H24EVO hydrogen prototype has taken a significant step forward this year thanks to the project’s new technical partnership with Toyota Gazoo Racing, which was formalised back in June.
At a press conference during the WEC’s weekend at Fuji, ACO president Pierre Fillon, Toyota Gazoo Racing Europe Vice Chairman Kazuki Nakajima, and MissionH24 Technical Director Bassel Aslan shared specific details on the changes made to the car, which underwent a switch from gaseous to liquid hydrogen storage this year.
With assistance from Toyota, the H24EVO’s aerodynamics and cooling solutions have been improved after initial CFD studies highlighted weaknesses in the early design. Since June, engineers from both groups—around 10 people in total—have been holding weekly meetings to refine the car’s specification.
“The fuel cell and specific design require very different studies from a combustion prototype. Conducting this research with Toyota Gazoo Racing is a particularly exciting experience,” said Aslan.
These changes include enlarged louvres and opening panels to improve cooling airflow, reconfigured underbody channels to better direct air to the rear, adjusted front uprights and air intakes to enhance cooling efficiency and a redesigned rear wing to help cut drag and improve car balance.
During the press conference, Aslan also confirmed that the car is still on track to run at some point in 2026. Key upcoming deadlines include freezing the chassis “skeleton” and cooling architecture by November 2025, followed by finalising the bodywork in February 2026.
Ultimately, the H24EVO prototype is a proof of concept ahead of the introduction of a ruleset that will enable manufacturers to compete with hydrogen-powered prototypes at Le Mans and in the FIA WEC. There is still no formal plan for the car to race.
“I cannot say now that we can be ready for racing in 2027, but by the mid or end of 2027, there is a big chance that the car is ready to enter a competition, but we don’t have a clear schedule on that, as it depends on the validation schedule,” explained Aslan.
In a Q&A with reporters, Fillon reiterated that the debut of the hydrogen ruleset is still targeted for “2028 or 2029”, ultimately “by the end of the decade.”
“We still plan to have a regulation for 2028, and after that, it will be when the manufacturers will be ready to come,” he added, before revealing that he is hopeful the regulations will be published at the beginning of next year. “There are still a lot of points to study,” he said.
Currently, Fillon confirmed that “more than four” manufacturers are in the technical working group for hydrogen motorsport, and Toyota Gazoo Racing continues to be the key player in this area.
Alongside its work with Mission H24, it is still working on its GR LH2 Racing Concept demonstrator, which also utilises liquid hydrogen and is due to run “in the near future,” according to Nakajima.
Once the ruleset is finalised, the Japanese manufacturer appears poised to confirm a programme that would run alongside its current Hypercar effort with the GR010 (which is set to benefit from an aero update in 2026). But is it prepared to sign off on the sky-high R&D costs if no other OEMs are prepared to join the WEC’s hydrogen category early on?
“I believe that racing is the best showcase to prove the possibility of hydrogen, so if we only talk about motorsport, it’s expensive, but I think our target is not only about winning races and investment in motorsport, it’s about society. We believe that at that time (when Hydrogen debuts), we will also have Hypercar running flat out with many other manufacturers,” Nakajima explained.
“At the end of the day, someone has to start. I think this is our approach and that’s how Toyota have been, pushing hydrogen. It’s not only about pure competition, it’s about experimenting. There are two different aspects, and as Toyota, we are happy to be a pioneer. I think it has to happen step by step. If someone can prove it’s working, then maybe it helps bring more competitors.”
Another important talking point is performance levels. With the tech still at an embryonic stage, it is still not clear when, or if, hydrogen-powered prototypes will be capable of challenging for overall wins in the WEC. The subject of performance balancing with Hypercars is another debate to tackle down the line, too.
“I’m sure there will be a transition between 2030 and the next generation of Hypercar. We need progress on the weight and power of the car. In terms of the regulators, with the FIA, the job is to bring the closest performance possible between the two categories,” Fillon said.
Nakajima added, “In the past, we had EoT (equivalence of technology, in LMP1), so I guess we will get something like this. There are a lot of challenges, but I think running the car, we see good possibilities technically.”
