The team has opted to design an entirely new hybrid system. The hybrid racer will be four-wheel drive, with a 3.5 litre V6 twin-turbo powering the rear axle with 671bhp. The front-axle will have 270bhp provided to it with an electric motor.
The total power is capped at 500kW (671bhp) in LMH rules, with the GR010 Hybrid’s advanced electronics dictate the amount of hybrid boost used to ensure it doesn’t go over the limit
The team’s 2020 driver line-up is being retained, with WEC champions Mike Conway, Kamui Kobayashi and José María López manning the no7 car and 2020 Le Mans winners Sébastien Buemi, Kazuki Nakajima and Brendon Hartley taking on the no8.
Prior to announcement that Le Mans Hypercars will be permitted to run in IMSa, Toyota expressed a desire to race in America.
“We’re passionate about endurance racing and we have made no secret of our wish to take on the challenge of some of the classic races in the USA at some point,” said Toyota Gazoo Racing Europe team director Rob Leupen.
“The Daytona 24 Hours, for example, is a legendary event and, when the circumstances allow, we would be excited to participate with our GR010 HYBRID.”
With the Toyota team so well prepared, things are looking ominous for other Hypercar entrants.
Glickenhaus – confirmed (2021 entry)
![708 PLA Olivier (fra), DUMAS Romain (fra), BRISCOE Ryan (usa), Glickenhaus Racing, Glickenhaus 007 LMH, action during the 6 Hours of Monza 2022, 4th round of the 2022 FIA World Endurance Championship on the Autodromo Nazionale di Monza from July 8 to 10, 2022 in Monza, Italy - Photo Joao Filipe / DPPI](https://msm.tjlabs.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Glickenhaus-007-Hypercar-at-the-2022-Six-Hours-of-Monza-800x450.jpg)
Glickenhaus led at Monza in 2022, only for a turbo failure during the race
Joao Filipe / DPPI
The American Scuderia Cameron Glickenhaus team has a single Italian-built SCG007 entered full-time WEC, after running two cars at Le Mans 2022. It has gone non-hybrid, plumping for a bespoke twin-turbo V8 produced by Pipo Moteurs.
The US-based company recently announced a link-up with 15-times Le Mans winner Joest Racing, provide personnel and support to the race team. Sauber have been employed to develop the aerodynamics, the Swiss squad having won Le Mans overall with Mercedes in 1989.
The drivers being run full-time in WEC currently for Glickenhaus are Pipo Derani, Romain Dumas and Olivier Pla.
Founder Jim Glickenhaus has also indicated his willingness to take his cars over to his home nation for races in IMSA.
“I want to do Daytona and I want to Sebring and why not Petit Le Mans [at Road Atlanta] as well?” he said.
“I’m more interested in those races than I am in going to Bahrain, Japan or wherever to race in the WEC: I don’t sell [road] cars there, but I do in America.”
Peugeot – confirmed (2022 entry)
![Peugeot-9X8-Le-Mans-Hypercar-in-the-garage-at-the-6-Hours-of-Monza](https://msm.tjlabs.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Peugeot-9X8-Le-Mans-Hypercar-in-the-garage-at-the-6-Hours-of-Monza-800x450.jpg)
Peugeot acquitted itself well in Monza despite inevitable reliability gremlins on first showing
DPPI
After unveiling its radical new 9X8 Le Mans Hypercar to compete at the enduro classic and WEC in 2022 earlier this year, Peugeot made its debut at the 6 Hours of Monza.
Utilising a hybrid power system, the car’s rear wheels are powered by 671bhp petrol engine, whilst the front axle is turned by a 268bhp electric motor. Glickenhaus and Toyota also use twin-turbo V6s.
Initial images of the 9X8 saw it feature no rear wing, with the team generating downforce from the under-floor of the car and other parts of the rear bodywork.
Peugeot’s driver line-up features two-time Formula E champion Jean-Eric Vergne, 2020 Le Mans LMP2 winner Paul Di Resta, Super GT veteran James Rossiter, 2013 overall winner Loïc Duval, Gustavo Menezes and Mikkel Jensen.
Eight-time DTM race-winner Nico Müller will has now also joined the line-up.
In Monza, the No94 car of Duval, Menezes and Rossiter managed to make it to the finish, with both cars suffering mechanical issues. However, the car appeared competitive – only 0.6sec off the pace set by the leafing Toyotas, and so could be fighting for wins soon.
Ferrari — confirmed (2023 entry)
![Ferrari-Le-Mans-Hypercar-in-testing-at-Fiorano,-2022](https://msm.tjlabs.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Ferrari-Le-Mans-Hypercar-in-testing-at-Fiorano-2022-800x450.jpg)
Images of Ferrari’s Hypercar in testing
Ferrari
Ferrari announced its Le Mans Hypercar programme in February, after several months of speculation. The team had openly said that it was examining the possibility and will now return to the Le Mans 24 Hours race on its centenary.
After the first announcement, it then revealed a first teaser image of its new Hypercar on the eve of the 2022 Le Mans.
According to a statement released by Ferrari, the new car “shows strong design references to the stylistic features that distinguish the models in the Prancing Horse range.”
Adding to its current tally of nine overall wins is undoubtedly the target for a brand once synonymous with the blue riband enduro, which said it will begin development tests in the coming weeks after this year’s Le Mans.
“In over 70 years of racing, on tracks all over the world, we led our closed-wheel cars to victory by exploring cutting-edge technological solutions: innovations that arise from the track and make every road car produced in Maranello extraordinary,” Ferrari president John Elkann said when the project was first announced.
You've been waiting long enough… 🔜#FerrariFM22 will be the perfect stage to finally introduce you to our #Ferrari #LMH!
Save the date: 30th October 🗓️#FerrariRaces pic.twitter.com/138FrwNw88— Ferrari Races (@FerrariRaces) October 5, 2022
“With the new Le Mans Hypercar programme, Ferrari once again asserts its sporting commitment and determination to be a protagonist in the major global motorsport events.”
Few details have yet been released, but the team confirmed that development is underway.
Speaking earlier, while Ferrari’s involvement was uncertain, its head of sport car activities Antonello Coletta said: “The most important question is whether we can have a link with a road car. Having our own chassis is a must, and we will see in the future if it is possible to have a new supercar.”
Ferrari could plunder its Ferrari Driver Academy to pilot its new Hypercar. Callum Illot, Marcus Armstrong, Robert Shwartzman and Arthur Leclerc (brother of Charles) to choose from, as well as current GT drivers such as James Calado, Daniel Serra and Antonio Fuoco.
ByKolles – uncertain
![ByKolles-Vanwall](https://msm.tjlabs.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/ByKolles-Vanwall-800x450.jpg)
The ByKolles Vanwaal Hypercar
ByKolles
The former LMP1 and LMP2 squad ByKolles has developed a Hypercar – with the famous ‘Vanwall’ moniker – but has not yet been permitted to enter WEC with it.
It’s thought that a dispute with the WEC organisers – due to both homologation and rights usage over the Vanwall name – has contributed to this, meaning that it’s not known when the car will race.
A mainstay of the LMP1 class since 2014, ByKolles went down the prototype route, but intend to produce a road car version also.
Currently PMC Project LMH, the Hypercar will be produced both as a track day car and a road car, in addition to the racing model.
The road car will produce over 1000bhp and have a hybrid system but the LMH will be reined in at 700bhp, in part due to the fact it will be running a normally aspirated non-hybrid system.
Although the full powertrain details are yet to be released, it’s thought that the team will carry over its Gibson V6 from its ENSO CLM P1/01 LMP1 challenger, eschewing the hybrid route.
If it does race, ByKolles drivers Bruno Spengler, Tom Dillman and Oliver Webb could all be in contention to drive the new Hypercar.
Others
Ford was involved in negotiating the rules for LMH, and was thought to have expressed an interest in developing a new Hypercar of its own, but has now opted to develop its new road-going Ford Mustang for the GT3 rules in IMSA’s GTD Pro class.
McLaren was also a widely mooted a candidate, but since changed tack and pushed (successfully) for LMH/LMDh convergence. However, its announcement of having an option on Formula E and entering Extreme E for the 2022-2023 season has likely delayed any potential Le Mans plans.