Toyota's #8 Crew Claims 2026 WEC Drivers' Title
Hirakawa, Buemi and Hartley secured the championship with an 11th-place finish at the Six Hours of Monza.
Updated on Nov. 9, 2026 in Motorsports
Toyota Racing's #8 crew of Ryō Hirakawa, Sébastien Buemi and Brendon Hartley won the 2026 FIA World Endurance Championship drivers' title at the Six Hours of Monza. The #8 Toyota TR010 Hybrid finished 11th, one place ahead of the #7 sister car, which was the only remaining challenger for the title.
Why it matters
The result gives the crew their third shared world title, following championships in 2022 and 2023. Toyota Racing also secured the 2026 manufacturers' title at Barcelona, completing a season-long success for the team.
The #8 crew entered the finale 17 points ahead and won three races during the 2026 season. Buemi and Hartley now have five WEC drivers' crowns, while Hirakawa has three.
The players
Toyota Racing
Toyota Racing is the factory motorsport team of the Japanese automaker Toyota, competing in the FIA World Endurance Championship with the TR010 Hybrid.
Ryō Hirakawa
Ryō Hirakawa is a Japanese racing driver who has won three WEC drivers' titles and made his Formula 1 debut with Haas-Ferrari in 2026.
Sébastien Buemi
Sébastien Buemi is a Swiss racing driver and former Formula 1 competitor who has won five WEC drivers' titles.
Brendon Hartley
Brendon Hartley is a New Zealand racing driver and former Formula 1 competitor who has won five WEC drivers' titles alongside Buemi.
The details
The #8 car finished ahead of Mike Conway, Kamui Kobayashi and Nyck de Vries, which was enough to complete the title. Two weeks before Monza, Hirakawa made his Formula 1 race debut with Haas-Ferrari in Mexico, finishing 16th.
Timeline
2022: The crew won its first shared WEC drivers' title.
2023: The crew won its second shared WEC drivers' title.
2025: Toyota had a difficult year before returning with the TR010 Hybrid.
Two weeks before Monza: Hirakawa made his Formula 1 debut in Mexico.
Sunday: The Six Hours of Monza decided the 2026 WEC drivers' title.
Season Trajectory
The #8 crew's 2026 title extends its run of shared FIA World Endurance Championship crowns from 2022 and 2023. Toyota's return with the TR010 Hybrid after a difficult 2025 season has now produced both the manufacturers' and drivers' titles in the WEC.
The title confirms the #8 crew's standing in the WEC standings for the season. Fans following endurance racing can now track the crew's results as a champion in future seasons.
The takeaway
Toyota's return to the top of the WEC standings shows how a single season can reverse a difficult stretch. The crew's three shared titles reflect sustained performance across multiple championship cycles.
Further reading
For more on the series, see the latest Motorsports coverage.
