Toyota Gazoo Racing commits to its long-term FIA WEC and Le Mans 24 supercar programme, including building a next generation hydrogen-powered car. The series previously announced that it would allow hydrogen powered car to compete in Top Hypercar Categorywhere Toyota is currently racing gasoline-electric hybrid GR010for the 2026 season, but has now been postponed to 2028. This year Le Mans Festival in JuneToyota has revealed a preliminary image of the GR H2, the hydrogen-powered car it plans to produce, as seen here.
The regulations are still being finalized for hydrogen power, and Toyota is patiently awaiting updates from the FIA and ACO. It’s not yet clear whether the regulations will allow for hydrogen combustion, which Toyota prefers, or whether the cars must be hydrogen fuel cell electric. It’s also not clear whether teams will be allowed to store liquid hydrogen on their race cars. And it’s unclear what the pit stops or the length of the stints will be. But Toyota is preparing to race on hydrogen regardless. Most of its eggs are in that basket.
Manufacturers who want to enter hydrogen cars will be limited to three races in the 2028 season to help develop the program into a full season in 2029. Toyota has been running its GR010 since 2021 with minimal changes, and the company said it could not develop a replacement at the same time as the GR H2. As a result, the GR010 will continue with minor development until Toyota can enter a full-time hydrogen program.
“It’s going to be tough. There will be two cars,” notes John Litjens, Toyota Motorports project manager. “…but you can’t develop two complete cars in parallel.”
Luckily, Toyota is currently entering a hydrogen-powered GR Corolla in Japan’s Super Taikyu series and even entered it in Thailand’s Idemitsu 1500 Super Endurance event for long-distance testing.
It has to be said that Toyota probably knows more about hydrogen fuel cell racing than any other automaker on the planet, and if anyone can translate that into success at Le Mans, it’s Toyota.
