Nyck de Vries will return to Toyota Gazoo Racing in the World Endurance Championship for 2024, alongside competing in Formula E for Mahindra Racing.
De Vries was the team’s reserve driver from 2020 to 2022 alongside his Mercedes FE commitments, but left to realise his dream of a full-time F1 seat with AlphaTauri.
However, that turned into a nightmare as De Vries was trounced by teammate Yuki Tsunoda in an uncompetitive AT04 and lost his place to Daniel Ricciardo after just ten rounds.
At Toyota he’ll race in car #7 in the Hypercar category, alongside Mike Conway and Kamui Kobayashi.
“I’m super excited to be returning to endurance racing, especially with Toyota,” De Vries told the media. “Endurance racing is something that I have always enjoyed and it is a discipline with incredible momentum at the moment.
“I was with the team in a different role for a few years but never got the chance to race, so it is great that the time has now arrived, and I want to thank the team for their continuous support and faith in me.
“I am very much looking forward to sharing car #7 with both Mike and Kamui. They are both very talented drivers who achieved a lot, and I am sure we will make a great team.”
De Vries’ speed and consistency praised
De Vries‘ arrival coincides with Jose Maria Lopez moving across to represent Toyota‘s luxury Lexus brand in the LMGT3 class after six seasons in Hypercars.
Toyota also confirmed the reigning champion line-up of Sebastian Buemi, Brendon Hartley and Ryo Hirakawa would remain unchanged in car #8.
“It is exciting to welcome Nyck back to the team as part of the #7 crew,” Kobayashi added. “We know from his time as our test and reserve driver, plus his other racing, how quick and consistent he is.
“Next season again we have a top driver line-up in both cars, and this will be important when we face even more competitors in Hypercar. I am sure we will grow stronger together as a team over the winter, ready for the new challenge.”
