Toyota Confirms Virtual 24H Le Mans Lineups

Five of Toyota Gazoo Racing’s six FIA World Endurance Championship LMP1 drivers will take part in the virtual 24 Hours of Le Mans event on June 13-14.

Kamui Kobayashi, Jose Maria Lopez, Mike Conway, Brendon Hartley and Sebastien Buemi were all confirmed on Friday as part of the reigning Le Mans-winning manufacturer’s first esports entry.

Toyota will receive support from the Mivano Simracing Team and Singularity Racing, which are each providing an esports driver to complement the real-world professionals.

Kazuki Nakajima is the only member of Toyota’s LMP1 crew not to feature in the team’s virtual Le Mans lineup.

WEC points leaders Kobayashi, Conway and Lopez will share the No. 7 Toyota-entered Oreca 07 Gibson with Mivano Simracing Team representative Maxime Brient.

Since LMP1 cars are not available in the rFactor 2 program on which the race will be held, LMP2 is the fastest category and will be where the fight for overall honors is held.

The No. 8 Toyota Oreca will be piloted by WEC co-drivers Hartley and Buemi, along with Toyota protege and reigning Super GT champion Kenta Yamashita.

They are set to be joined by Dutch sim racer Yuri Kasdorp from Singularity Racing.

Most teams have elected to go with the minimum of two real-world drivers per lineup, as well as the maximum permitted two esports professionals.

However, Toyota has gone for three real-world drivers to ensure that as many of its LMP1 team members can compete.

Signatech Alpine is the only other LMP2 outfit to have gone for the triple pro driver strategy, while Team Penske and United Autosports are running with all-pro lineups.

A third Toyota-labelled entry under the Toyota Gazoo Racing Argentina banner is expected to have its driver lineup revealed at a later time.