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

The race automobile, primarily based on the Toyota GR GT3 idea proven on the 2022 Tokyo auto salon, was initially scheduled to start racing in 2025, in accordance with the report, which cites feedback from Toyota WEC workforce director Rob Leupen. However delays for the highway automobile that shall be primarily based on the race automobile meant that needed to be pushed again.

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 couple of months after the idea’s debut had been an additional trace that Toyota was transferring forward with manufacturing of the GR GT3.

The GT3 class requires to be primarily based on road-going variations, so a it was inevitable that the GR GT3, which is not primarily based on any present Toyota mannequin, would spawn a highway automobile as properly. That highway automobile 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.

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

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