# Toyota wins 6 Hours of Fuji after late strategic gamble

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/fia-wec-6-hours-of-fuji-race
> Updated: 2026-09-27T00:00:00.000Z. Sources: 57. Developments: 2.

Toyota Racing secured a dramatic victory at the 2026 FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) 6 Hours of Fuji, overcoming a race that was largely dominated by Alpine. The #8 Toyota GR010 Hybrid, driven by Ryō Hirakawa, Brendon Hartley, and Sébastien Buemi, utilized a bold late-race strategy to clinch the win.

For much of the contest, the two Alpine A424 LMDh cars held the lead. However, a final Safety Car period triggered by a heavy crash involving a Garage 59 McLaren changed the race dynamics. While Alpine opted for a more conservative approach by fitting new tires, Toyota chose to skip a tire change and reduce fuel during their final pit stop to maintain track position.

This strategic gamble allowed Hirakawa to hold off a late charge from Alpine’s Victor Martins, who finished just 0.591 seconds behind. The victory marks Toyota's tenth win at Fuji and moves the #8 crew to the top of the Hypercar driver standings with two races remaining in the season. The win also extends Toyota's lead in the manufacturers' championship to 23 points over BMW.

In the LMGT3 class, the #32 Team WRT BMW secured a victory, while the #34 Corvette took the top spot in its respective category. Earlier in the race, Alessio Rovera set a new circuit record for the LMGT3 category with a lap time of 1:40.952 before his Ferrari 296 LMGT3 was forced to retire due to suspension damage.

## Claims

- Alpine holds a provisional 1-2 lead at the halfway point of the 6 Hours of Fuji. (corroborated by 2 sources)
- Nyck de Vries experienced a slow puncture in the No. 7 Toyota TR010 Hybrid. (corroborated by 2 sources)
- A Virtual Safety Car was deployed following an Aston Martin LMGT3 spin at Turn 5. (corroborated by 2 sources)
- Ferdinand Habsburg in the No. 35 Alpine took the lead from Victor Martins in the No. 36 Alpine. (single source)
- The Aston Martin Valkyrie No. 007 is in second place, trailing the leaders by 10.5 seconds. (single source)

## Timeline

### 2026-09-27: Toyota wins 6 Hours of Fuji after late strategic gamble

Toyota secured a dramatic home victory at the 6 Hours of Fuji in the FIA WEC, beating Alpine by 0.591 seconds following a decisive late-race strategic gamble under a Safety Car.

44 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/alpine-leads-6-hours-of-fuji-at-halfway-mark

### 2026-09-24: Alpine secures front-row lockout at Fuji after qualifying cancellation

Severe rain at Fuji Speedway has cancelled WEC qualifying sessions. Alpine will start on the front row in the Hypercar class, while Proton Competition takes pole in LMGT3.

28 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/alpine-leads-second-practice-at-fuji-speedway

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Cite as: Toyota wins 6 Hours of Fuji after late strategic gamble. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/fia-wec-6-hours-of-fuji-race