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Toyota wins 6 Hours of Fuji after late strategic gamble
Toyota Gazoo Racing secured a dramatic victory at the 6 Hours of Fuji in the 2026 FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC). The #8 Toyota GR010 Hybrid, driven by Ryō Hirakawa, Brendon Hartley, and Sébastien Buemi, overcame a challenging race to win by just 0.591 seconds over the #36 Alpine.
For much of the race, Alpine appeared to be in control, holding the lead following the cancellation of qualifying due to rain. However, a late Safety Car period triggered by a heavy crash involving a McLaren LMGT3 car fundamentally altered the race strategy. Toyota opted for an aggressive gamble, performing a quick pit stop without changing tires and taking on less fuel. This allowed Hirakawa to reclaim the lead and hold off a late charge from Victor Martins in the Alpine.
This home victory marks Toyota's tenth win at Fuji and extends their lead in the Manufacturers' Championship to 23 points. The driver trio of Hartley, Hirakawa, and Buemi also moved to the top of the Drivers' Championship standings. In the LMGT3 class, the #32 Team WRT BMW secured a victory, while the #34 Corvette took the top spot in its respective category.
Entities
Alpine · Alpine Endurance Team · FIA World Endurance Championship · Ferdinand Habsburg · Fuji Speedway · Ryo Hirakawa · Sebastien Buemi · Team WRT · Toyota · Toyota Gazoo Racing · Toyota Racing · Victor Martins
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [● 2 SOURCES] Nyck de Vries experienced a slow puncture in the No. 7 Toyota TR010 Hybrid.
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Ferdinand Habsburg in the No. 35 Alpine took the lead from Victor Martins in the No. 36 Alpine.
- [○ 1 SOURCE] The Aston Martin Valkyrie No. 007 is in second place, trailing the leaders by 10.5 seconds.
- [● 2 SOURCES] A Virtual Safety Car was deployed following an Aston Martin LMGT3 spin at Turn 5.
- [● 2 SOURCES] Alpine holds a provisional 1-2 lead at the halfway point of the 6 Hours of Fuji.