Toyota Secures Victory at Imola in Fierce FIA WEC Duel
Imola, Italy – In a gripping contest at the Italian round of the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC), Toyota’s #8 TR010 Hybrid clinched victory, marking the team’s third triumph at this venue in four years, narrowly edging out Ferrari’s 499P in a strategic battle that emphasized the importance of track position.
Toyota’s decisive strategy came into play with a triple tyre stint for Brendon Hartley, Ryo Hirakawa, and Sébastien Buemi, placing them in a strong position just before a crucial Virtual Safety Car (VSC) period, which allowed Hirakawa to change to new tyres without losing their lead.
“The big, crucial thing happened yesterday,” Hartley commented, referencing Hirakawa’s unexpected second-place grid position in Hyperpole. “Ryo really set us up for the win before the race started.”
Ferrari’s challenge was evident throughout. Despite their pace, which had been competitive during practice, they struggled with energy efficiency compared to Toyota. Giuliano Salvi, Ferrari’s team operations manager, acknowledged, “Toyota looked like it had the edge… we need to analyze how to improve on that.”
The race dynamics saw Buemi assume the lead during a rain-affected final stretch, where he successfully managed his tyre wear while keeping a safe distance from Ferrari. “The car was good. I felt like we could fight with the others today,” Buemi stated, looking forward to upcoming races.
Ferrari’s two entries, particularly the #51 driven by James Calado, Alessandro Pier Guidi, and Antonio Giovinazzi, finished second, marking a solid start to their title defense despite missing opportunities to regain the lead post-tyre changes. Pier Guidi remarked, “We wanted to win in front of our fans… but we missed a bit of luck.”
As the race unfolded, the #7 Toyota, driven by Kamui Kobayashi, adopted an aggressive tyre strategy to challenge for a podium finish. However, a tyre pressure issue prevented this plan from materializing. “In the opening race, you just consider the big picture and try to assess risk,” said Toyota’s technical director David Floury.
The 2026 championship appears poised for a competitive season, with Toyota successfully addressing execution issues from the previous year, putting them back in contention against a resilient Ferrari squad.
Results:
- #8 Toyota GR010 Hybrid – Brendon Hartley, Ryo Hirakawa, Sébastien Buemi
- #51 Ferrari 499P – James Calado, Alessandro Pier Guidi, Antonio Giovinazzi
- #7 Toyota GR010 Hybrid – Kamui Kobayashi, Mike Conway, José María López
The upcoming race at Spa will be crucial for both teams as they continue their battle for supremacy in the 2026 WEC season.
