Toyota’s next-generation GT3 race automotive will make its competitors debut in 2026 within the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC), timed with the disclosing of a road-car counterpart, in response to Motorsport.com.

The race automotive, based mostly on the Toyota GR GT3 idea proven on the 2022 Tokyo auto salon, was initially scheduled to start racing in 2025, in response to the report, which cites feedback from Toyota WEC group director Rob Leupen. However delays for the highway automotive that will likely be based mostly on the race automotive meant that needed to be pushed again.

Toyota GR GT3 idea

The Lexus RC F is presently homologated for the GT3 class, however the GR GT3 idea supplied a powerful trace that Japan’s largest automaker was planning to re-up in GT3. Patent drawings that surfaced a number of months after the idea’s debut had been an extra trace that Toyota was shifting forward with manufacturing of the GR GT3.

The GT3 class requires to be based mostly on road-going variations, so a it was inevitable that the GR GT3, which is not based mostly on any present Toyota mannequin, would spawn a highway automotive as properly. That highway automotive might be badged as a Lexus, permitting the GR GT3 to take over for the ageing RC F. Lexus has additionally proven an electrical supercar idea with proportions similar to these of the GR GT3.

Toyota GR GT3 idea

As for why the GR GT3 is not based mostly on one of many automaker’s present platforms, Toyota beforehand stated it allowed engineers take a look at out new applied sciences for potential use in different road-car and racing packages.

Toyota already provides a Supra GT4 buyer race automotive, in addition to Supra-badged race automobiles for Japan’s Tremendous GT touring automotive collection. It nonetheless competes within the WEC’s LeMans Hypercar (LMH) prototype class as properly. So the brand new GT3 race automotive will fill within the hole between the lower-level GT4 and touring-car courses and the prototypes, giving Toyota an entry at practically each degree of sports-car racing.