Toyota Gazoo Racing secured a definitive victory at the 94th running of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, ending a multi-year winless streak dating back to 2022. The Japanese manufacturer’s number seven car crossed the finish line first following an intense, day-long battle with Hypercar rivals from BMW and Cadillac.
The winning GR010 Hybrid was piloted by Japan's Kamui Kobayashi, Britain’s Mike Conway, and Dutchman Nyck de Vries. For Kobayashi, this marks his second overall Le Mans triumph, adding to his 2021 victory.
BMW mounted a significant challenge from the start, but it was Cadillac that emerged as the primary threat, holding a commanding lead deep into the final quarter of the endurance classic. However, Cadillac’s hopes for a fairy-tale ending were destroyed by mechanical failure. Their number 38 car suffered a catastrophic power steering problem, forcing multiple pit stops and eventual retirement-a heartbreaking result for French hometown favorite Sebastien Bourdais.
The number 20 BMW, driven by Sheldon Van der Linde, Rene Rast, and Robin Frijns, held on for a strong second-place finish. Toyota’s number eight car completed the podium in third. Ferrari, the dominant force having won the previous three editions, could only manage a fifth-place finish.