Le Mans 24-hour race to include hydrogen-powered vehicles starting in 2026

The Toyota Gazoo Racing's winner drivers Mike Conway of Britain, Kamui Kobayashi of Japan and Jose Maria Lopez of Argentina, and the second placed drivers Sebastien Buemi of Switzerland, Kazuki Nakajima of Japan and Brendon Hartley of New Zealand celebrate on the podium of the 24-hour Le Mans endurance race in Le Mans, France, on Aug. 22, 2021. (AP Photo/Francois Mori, File)

OYAMA, Japan -

The 24 Hours of Le Mans, the world's most famous endurance race, will be open to hydrogen-powered cars starting in 2026, Pierre Fillon, the president of the Automobile Club de l'Ouest, said Saturday.

Fillon spoke at Japan's Fuji Speedway, which is holding a 24-hour race that includes hydrogen power.

The vehicles for Le Mans will include both fuel cells and hydrogen combustion engines, Fillon said. The Automobile Club de l'Ouest organizes the race in Le Mans.

"The 24 hours of Le Mans regulations have always advocated for freedom and variety," Fillon said. "As such I can officially announce today that both technologies will be accepted and authorized for manufactures which seek to enter the 24 hours of Le Mans in the hydrogen class."

Toyota Motor Corporation President Koji Sato said he hoped to make an announcement "in the near future" about Toyota's participation in Le Mans.