'I thought we were out' - Nyck de Vries says Toyota Racing No. 7 team lost faith but 'can have a good beer' after 24 Hours of Le Mans win
Published 14/06/2026 at 20:49 GMT+1
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Nyck de Vries admitted that the Toyota Racing No. 7 team believed they were out of contention to win the 24 Hours of Le Mans 2026 after a series of setbacks during the race.
Highlights: Toyota beat BMW and Cadillac to win sixth Le Mans title
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However, De Vries, Mike Conway, and Kamui Kobayashi overcame a "puncture" and "sensor issues" to hold off the challenge of Rene Rast, Robin Frijns, and Sheldon van der Linde in the BMW M Team WRT No. 20, and claim the constructor's first win at the iconic endurance race since 2022.
The Toyota cars deployed a unique approach to pit stops in the early stages of the famous race, entering much earlier than their rivals, and it appeared to benefit the team of Sebastien Buemi, Brendon Hartley, and Ryo Hirakawa in the Toyota Racing No. 8 as they finished third.
At points, the Toyota No. 8 looked the more likely of the two to come out on top, and De Vries said he felt like his team had missed their chance at several points during the race.
”Frankly speaking, I thought we were out of contention many times,” said De Vries.
”We had a puncture, we had a sensor issue that cost us a lot of straight-line speed.
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'I thought we were out of contention many times!' - De Vries on astonishing Le Mans comeback
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”So we were afraid we did not really have the speed and the pace, but it just goes to show that Le Mans is not over until it is done.
”Both team-mates, it is a collective achievement, and we have been working together for two-and-a-half years now.
”The dynamics between us are great, and everyone is complementary to each other; it is just pure joy.”
The Toyota No. 7 and the Toyota No. 8 appeared to work together during the climax of the race to hold off the challenge of the BMW No. 20 team.
It was Conway’s first Le Mans triumph since his team’s victory in 2021, and he was full of praise for his team-mates.
”I don’t know [how I feel], these are so hard to win, and my team-mates are amazing,” said Conway.
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'Now I can have a good beer!' - Race-winner Kobayashi hails Toyota team after triumph
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”Just thank you to everyone. Even in the first couple of hours we thought it was not looking good, and then we had some issues with the power.
”We just stuck in there and showed team spirit. Go to the end, you know?”
Kobayashi was also part of the Toyota Gazoo Racing team who came out on top five years ago, while this was De Vries' first victory at Le Mans.
Kobayashi revealed that he would celebrate with a beer after guiding their car over the line in the closing stages of the race.
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Kristensen and Brundle reflect on Toyota's Le Mans success
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”It has been a long wait for us,” he said. "We have been trying and trying for three years.
”We were struggling to win, obviously. Finally, we win with the new car, and that is an amazing thing to happen.
”Of course, to achieve this, it took all the effort from the Toyota Racing team and of course from Toyota Japan.
”Their support made it happen. One special thing, I have to give a huge thanks for this opportunity. Finally, we are back on top at Le Mans.
”It is massive pressure, but now I can have a good beer.”
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