There was a time when securing a Le Mans and World Endurance Championship double was almost a formality for Toyota.

 

In the final days of LMP1, its Cologne-based team was all too often racing against itself. Not any more.

 

In this Hypercar era, Toyota has found itself slipping into the long shadow of Ferrari, which claimed three Le Mans wins on the bounce when its sensational 499P burst on to the scene in 2023.

 

Meanwhile, Alpine, Aston Martin, BMW, Cadillac, Genesis and Peugeot have all jostled for glory this year, with Ford and McLaren preparing to join the fray in 2027.