WEC Monza: Toyota #8 or #7 to take the Hypercar drivers' title

The WEC closes its 2026 season with the 6 Hours of Monza, from 6 to 8 November. Toyota has already clinched the Hypercar manufacturers' title; the drivers' title will be settled between its two cars. The #8 of Sébastien Buemi, Brendon Hartley and Ryō Hirakawa leads the #7 of Kamui Kobayashi, Mike Conway and Nyck de Vries by 17 points.

Hypercar: the #8 in the driving seat

The #8 has 114 points against 97 for the #7. It has won three races this season (Imola, Fuji and Barcelona), the #7 just one (Le Mans). The scoring gives 25, 18, 15, 12, 10, 8, 6, 4, 2 and 1 points from first to tenth, plus one point for pole position in the Hyperpole: a maximum of 26 points is therefore on offer.

According to Motorsport.com, eight points are enough for the #8. Some scenarios:

• the #8 is champion with a finish in the top 5;
• the #7 must win, and the #8 must finish outside the top 6 for it to take the title;
• if the #7 finishes second with pole, the #8 must finish outside the top 9.

Buemi and Hartley make their 50th WEC appearance together: a fifth title would be a record for them. The #7 crew has the better Monza record, though: Conway and Kobayashi were in the winning line-ups in 2021 and 2023, both times from pole. Mike Conway will make his final start in the Toyota Hypercar there.

Ferrari, BMW and Alpine

Toyota has won all eight WEC season finales since 2017, according to the FIA. Ferrari, the defending champion, races at home for the second time this year, after narrowly losing to Toyota at Imola. BMW, second in the manufacturers' standings, has never raced at Monza in the WEC and is aiming for a podium. For Alpine, it will be the 80th and final WEC event.

LMGT3: Edgar close to the title

In LMGT3, four cars can still be crowned. Jonny Edgar's #33 has 92 points and an 18-point lead: a finish of sixth or better gives him the title. Behind, the #92 Porsche (74 points), the #34 Corvette (70) and the #69 BMW (66) have to win and hope for a slip. If the #69 BMW took the title, it would be the first car in WEC history to be champion without scoring at the Le Mans 24 Hours. Richard Lietz (#92 Porsche) can also become the second driver to reach 100 WEC starts.

The circuit and the schedule

The Autodromo Nazionale Monza measures 5.793 km with 11 turns: long straights and tight chicanes, where aerodynamic efficiency, traction and braking stability matter. The grid features 17 car models, against 12 at the WEC's previous visit in 2023.

Schedule (Central European Time): free practice on Friday 6 November, qualifying and Hyperpole on Saturday 7 at 14:20, race on Sunday 8 at 11:00.

Key takeaway

The #8 Toyota only needs a top-five finish to be crowned champion. The #7 must win and rely on a poor weekend for its sister car.