Toyota crews clash for WEC drivers’ title at Monza finale, Nov. 8

The FIA World Endurance Championship season finale will be decided at the Autodromo Nazionale Monza this weekend, after the round was moved from Bahrain to Italy because of the geopolitical situation in the Middle East, Ouest-France reported. The 6 Hours of Monza, set for Sunday, Nov. 8, closes an eight-round season that began at Imola and will crown the Hypercar drivers’ and LMGT3 champions — with Toyota’s constructors’ title already secured and its two crews now fighting each other for the drivers’ crown.

Toyota clinched the manufacturers’ championship with a one-two finish at Barcelona, leaving only the drivers’ title undecided between its No. 8 and No. 7 cars. Sébastien Buemi, Brendon Hartley and Ryo Hirakawa, winners at Fuji and Barcelona, hold a 17-point lead over Kamui Kobayashi, Nyck de Vries and Mike Conway, meaning a top-five finish for the No. 8 at Monza is enough to seal the title.

Toyota’s intra-team duel decides the drivers’ title at Monza

Buemi told reporters the squad is in a good position but warned the finale will not be easy, given the strength of the competition. Hartley said a championship-deciding race is always stressful, no matter the margin, because anything can happen. The No. 7 crew, no longer in control of its own destiny, has adopted a simple approach: focus on its own race and see what happens, Kobayashi said. De Vries summed up the goal as aiming for victory and letting the results fall where they may.

The finale also marks Mike Conway’s last full-time race with Toyota after 12 seasons, 20 victories and two wins at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Conway acknowledged the season has become more difficult for his crew but said they still have a chance and will give everything.

Whichever crew wins, Toyota will end its first season with the GR010 Hybrid in dominant fashion. The new Hypercar has already delivered the 24 Hours of Le Mans, Toyota’s home race at Fuji, four WEC rounds and both world titles. Kobayashi said the team achieved its objectives: winning Le Mans, both world championships and its home race, a turnaround from a difficult 2025 campaign.

Monza in November: fast circuit, fresh asphalt, cold and rain risk

The WEC last raced at Monza in July 2023, making this a return to the Temple of Speed after more than three years. The 5.793-kilometer, 11-corner circuit is the second-fastest of the season behind Le Mans, with Hypercars at full throttle for roughly 70% of the lap and above 250 km/h for about 40% of the time. Long straights alternate with heavy braking zones, especially at the first two chicanes.

The track was fully resurfaced in 2024, and Michelin estimates the extra grip could make lap times two to two-and-a-half seconds quicker than in 2023. Running in early November is new for the championship: temperatures are expected to be much lower than during the 2023 visit, with a risk of rain. Michelin will supply Soft and Medium compounds, and relatively low wear could allow double or even triple stints. If rain arrives, teams will have the new Wet tire introduced at Barcelona — but the fresh surface grips well in the dry while evacuating water less easily, which could make wet conditions tricky.

Ferrari will be hoping the high-speed profile suits its 499P. With no world title at stake, the Italian marque is targeting a victory in front of its tifosi at home. The No. 50 car of Antonio Fuoco, Miguel Molina and Nicklas Nielsen comes off a podium at Barcelona. Fuoco said the team is sorry to return to Monza without being able to fight for the drivers’ and constructors’ titles, but promised to give fans an enjoyable and memorable weekend. Nielsen said he is convinced the 499P suits a fast circuit like Monza. The No. 51 of Alessandro Pier Guidi, James Calado and Antonio Giovinazzi has the same goal, with Giovinazzi promising something special for the fans. Ferrari’s endurance car chief Ferdinando Cannizzo noted that Monza demands high-speed efficiency, braking stability and traction out of the slow corners, making tire warm-up one of the key parameters in the cold.

Bourdais and Lynn close their Cadillac chapters at Monza

Sébastien Bourdais will contest his final race with Cadillac Hertz Team JOTA at Monza before leaving the team at season’s end, sharing the No. 38 with Earl Bamber and Jack Aitken. Bourdais called Monza a legendary circuit where it is always enjoyable to race, and said the crew will push for a strong result to close the season. Cadillac sits fourth in the constructors’ standings, just 12 points behind third place, and believes Monza’s characteristics should suit its V-Series.R better than Barcelona did. Alex Lynn will also make his last start with JOTA before moving to McLaren.

Peugeot returns to its debut ground as Alpine and Genesis close chapters

Monza holds a special place in Peugeot history: the 9X8 made its WEC debut there in 2022 and scored its first podium a year later. The French marque expects the circuit to suit it better than Barcelona, according to Paul Di Resta. Alex Quinn continues his learning alongside Di Resta and Nick Cassidy in the No. 93, while the No. 94 of Loïc Duval, Théo Pourchaire and Malthe Jakobsen marks the Dane’s farewell to Peugeot; Jakobsen took the 9X8’s first pole of the season at Spa.

For Genesis, Monza ends a first full Hypercar campaign with the GMR-001, which has already scored points and a pole position at Barcelona. Driver Gabriele Tarquini said scoring with both cars is no longer a dream as it was at the start of the season, though Genesis has never raced the GMR-001 at Monza and must quickly find the right balance between low drag and braking stability.

The finale will also be the last WEC appearance of the Alpine A424, as the French manufacturer exits the championship at season’s end. Alpine will try to close that chapter with a strong result, four years after winning at Monza with the A480.

Four crews still in the LMGT3 title fight

The LMGT3 championship remains wide open. The No. 33 Corvette of TF Sport leads the No. 92 Porsche of The Bend Manthey — winners at Barcelona — by 18 points. The No. 34 Corvette of Racing Team Turkey and the No. 69 BMW of WRT, 26 points back, are also in contention. In the LMGT3 drivers’ standings, Jonny Edgar leads with 92 points, and the class has seen seven different winning crews across seven races this season.

6 Hours of Monza schedule: free practice, qualifying and race times

The weekend runs from Friday, Nov. 6, through Sunday, Nov. 8, all times local to Monza:

• Friday, Nov. 6: Free Practice 1, 10:30 a.m.–12:00 p.m.; Free Practice 2, 2:30–4:00 p.m.
• Saturday, Nov. 7: Free Practice 3, 10:30–11:30 a.m.; Qualifying from 2:20 p.m.; Hypercar Qualifying at 3:00 p.m.; Hyperpole at 3:20 p.m.
• Sunday, Nov. 8: 6 Hours of Monza start at 11:00 a.m., with the finish expected at 5:00 p.m.

The checkered flag at Monza will close the WEC season and settle both remaining world titles — Toyota’s drivers’ crown between its two crews, and the open LMGT3 battle among four teams.