Toyota Racing won the manufacturers’ title with its one-two victory in the 6 Hours of Barcelona, the penultimate round of the 2026 FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) season .In slick, wet conditions at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, the team won for the fourth time this season to secure its eighth manufacturers’ World Championship, in its first year as the renamed Toyota Racing.
Sébastien Buemi, Brendon Hartley and Ryō Hirakawa were victorious in the #8 TR010 Hybrid, extending their lead in the drivers’ standings, setting up a driver’s duel in Monza. [Ironically the Barcelona Toyota Victory came at the expense of Ferrari AF Corse (#50), which placed 3rd, only 40 seconds back after six hours. Cadillac Hertz Team Jota finished 4th – AutoCrat.]
“It’s obviously an amazing day for the whole team,” said Sébastien Buemi (Driver, car #8). “There was a lot of stress and I’m still a bit mad at myself for the penalty at the start, but my team-mates made up for it. I’m really happy to celebrate the title with the whole team with a one-two. After a difficult season last year, it shows how hard the team worked over the winter to introduce the TR010 Hybrid and win Le Mans and both titles. Now hopefully Brendon, Ryō and me can win the drivers’ title in Monza.”
“We were really motivated after our Fuji victory, and we came here with a lot of momentum,” said Ryō Hirakawa (Driver, car #8). There were a lot of things to explore because we never tested here, but everyone did a good job, the car was flying, and everything went well. This victory is something we worked very hard for. There was no luck, we just grabbed it. It’s good to secure the manufacturers’ title but the drivers’ is still open. We’ll keep pushing and hopefully we can win that with car #8.”
Toyota Racing has now completed a clean sweep of both World Championships and victories in the Le Mans 24 Hours and the team’s home race, the 6 Hours of Fuji, in the debut season of the TR010 Hybrid.
About Ken Zino
Ken Zino, editor and publisher of AutoInformed, is a versatile auto industry participant with global experience spanning decades in print and broadcast journalism, as well as social media. He has automobile testing, marketing, public relations and communications experience. He is past president of The International Motor Press Assn, the Detroit Press Club, founding member and first President of the Automotive Press Assn. He is a member of APA, IMPA and the Midwest Automotive Press Assn.
He also brings an historical perspective while citing their contemporary relevance of the work of legendary auto writers such as Ken Purdy, Jim Dunne or Jerry Flint, or writers such as Red Smith, Mark Twain, Thomas Jefferson – all to bring perspective to a chaotic automotive universe.
Above all, decades after he first drove a car, Zino still revels in the sound of the exhaust as the throttle is blipped during a downshift and the driver’s rush that occurs when the entry, apex and exit points of a turn are smoothly and swiftly crossed. It’s the beginning of a perfect lap.
AutoInformed has an editorial philosophy that loves transportation machines of all kinds while promoting critical thinking about the future use of cars and trucks.
Zino builds AutoInformed from his background in automotive journalism starting at Hearst Publishing in New York City on Motor and MotorTech Magazines and car testing where he reviewed hundreds of vehicles in his decade-long stint as the Detroit Bureau Chief of Road & Track magazine. Zino has also worked in Europe, and Asia – now the largest automotive market in the world with China at its center.
WEC Barcelona – Toyota Racing Takes Manufacturers’ Title
Toyota Racing won the manufacturers’ title with its one-two victory in the 6 Hours of Barcelona, the penultimate round of the 2026 FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) season .In slick, wet conditions at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, the team won for the fourth time this season to secure its eighth manufacturers’ World Championship, in its first year as the renamed Toyota Racing.
Sébastien Buemi, Brendon Hartley and Ryō Hirakawa were victorious in the #8 TR010 Hybrid, extending their lead in the drivers’ standings, setting up a driver’s duel in Monza. [Ironically the Barcelona Toyota Victory came at the expense of Ferrari AF Corse (#50), which placed 3rd, only 40 seconds back after six hours. Cadillac Hertz Team Jota finished 4th – AutoCrat.]
“It’s obviously an amazing day for the whole team,” said Sébastien Buemi (Driver, car #8). “There was a lot of stress and I’m still a bit mad at myself for the penalty at the start, but my team-mates made up for it. I’m really happy to celebrate the title with the whole team with a one-two. After a difficult season last year, it shows how hard the team worked over the winter to introduce the TR010 Hybrid and win Le Mans and both titles. Now hopefully Brendon, Ryō and me can win the drivers’ title in Monza.”
“We were really motivated after our Fuji victory, and we came here with a lot of momentum,” said Ryō Hirakawa (Driver, car #8). There were a lot of things to explore because we never tested here, but everyone did a good job, the car was flying, and everything went well. This victory is something we worked very hard for. There was no luck, we just grabbed it. It’s good to secure the manufacturers’ title but the drivers’ is still open. We’ll keep pushing and hopefully we can win that with car #8.”
Toyota Racing has now completed a clean sweep of both World Championships and victories in the Le Mans 24 Hours and the team’s home race, the 6 Hours of Fuji, in the debut season of the TR010 Hybrid.
About Ken Zino
Ken Zino, editor and publisher of AutoInformed, is a versatile auto industry participant with global experience spanning decades in print and broadcast journalism, as well as social media. He has automobile testing, marketing, public relations and communications experience. He is past president of The International Motor Press Assn, the Detroit Press Club, founding member and first President of the Automotive Press Assn. He is a member of APA, IMPA and the Midwest Automotive Press Assn. He also brings an historical perspective while citing their contemporary relevance of the work of legendary auto writers such as Ken Purdy, Jim Dunne or Jerry Flint, or writers such as Red Smith, Mark Twain, Thomas Jefferson – all to bring perspective to a chaotic automotive universe. Above all, decades after he first drove a car, Zino still revels in the sound of the exhaust as the throttle is blipped during a downshift and the driver’s rush that occurs when the entry, apex and exit points of a turn are smoothly and swiftly crossed. It’s the beginning of a perfect lap. AutoInformed has an editorial philosophy that loves transportation machines of all kinds while promoting critical thinking about the future use of cars and trucks. Zino builds AutoInformed from his background in automotive journalism starting at Hearst Publishing in New York City on Motor and MotorTech Magazines and car testing where he reviewed hundreds of vehicles in his decade-long stint as the Detroit Bureau Chief of Road & Track magazine. Zino has also worked in Europe, and Asia – now the largest automotive market in the world with China at its center.