Who is Esteban Masson: The Toyota youngster on the Hypercar radar

Toyota has no shortage of junior drivers within its roster, both in Japan and overseas, but one young protege has begun to stand out: Esteban Masson.

The Canadian-born Frenchman has just completed his first season under Toyota’s TGR Driver Challenge Program, and his early progress suggests a promising future in endurance racing.

Like many drivers, Masson started his career in single-seaters, winning the French F4 title in his first full year in formula cars. A step up to the fiercely-competitive Formula Regional European Championship followed in 2022, but results proved harder to come by across two seasons, despite flashes of speed.

But there was clearly a lot of underlying potential in Masson, as highlighted by his championship-winning campaign in Eurocup, a new championship launched as an alternative to FRECA and Euroformula Open. 

Switching to sportscar racing in 2024 allowed him to realise that untapped potential, and proved to be a turning point in his career. Masson finished second in the European Le Mans Series’ GT class aboard a Kessel Racing Ferrari, while also contesting a parallel programme in the World Endurance Championship with ASP as the silver-graded driver in the #87 Lexus RC F GT3. 

Although the Lexus struggled for competitiveness in LMGT3’s inaugural season, the campaign allowed him to forge closer ties with Toyota and earn a test of the GR010 Hybrid at Bahrain.

For 2025, Masson was formally integrated into Toyota’s young driver scheme and embarked on another dual programme, contesting ELMS in the top LMP2 class alongside Japan’s Super Formula Lights championship.

Once again, he emerged as one of the star performers in the European championship, winning the overall title with Oliver Gray and Alpine Hypercar driver Charles Milesi with CDS Panis Racing. The trio also came agonisingly close to victory at the Le Mans 24 Hours, only for a late technical issue to deny them in the closing stages.

#87 Akkodis ASP Team Lexus RC F LMGT3: Takeshi Kimura, Esteban Masson, Jose Maria Lopez

With the 2025 season now complete, Masson is preparing for his return to the WEC, having been named in ASP’s LMGT3 line-up for 2026, this time as the designated pro driver in the #78 Lexus.

It’s a responsibility he seems ready for, having substituted for factory driver Ben Barnicoat at Imola this year, where he helped deliver a podium finish. ASP has also managed to turn the RC F GT3 into a race winner, putting Masson in a much stronger position than he was in his rookie season.

Few people are better placed to judge that progression than ASP team boss Jerome Policand, who has followed Masson closely over the years and has a keen eye for young talent. Policand described the 21-year-old as “something special” and believes he is ripe for a move up to the Hypercar class.

“I'm quite proud of this because the first time he had a test in GT3, it was with us. I presented him to Toyota,” Policand told Motorsport.com. “I know Esteban since he was racing go-karts. He was successful in Formula 4 and FRECA. 

“I know he has the potential. That's the reason I asked [TGR vice-chairman] Kazuki [Nakajima] to test him, and then we were aligned that he has the potential. We tried to put a budget together to run him. 

“For me, he has the skill to be in the big category now. We'll see in the future. It's always good for a team. 

“We did the same with Jules Gounon [and] Raffaele Maricello; when he stopped in Formula 2, his first team was us, with Mercedes [when ASP was a Mercedes customer]. 

“We got used to trying to find drivers with high potential but a bit of bad luck. You put them with the right tools, and they become professional drivers. 

“But for sure, for me, Esteban has something special.”

#7 Toyota Gazoo Racing Toyota GR010 - Hybrid: Esteban Masson

Breaking into Toyota’s factory line-up is an incredibly difficult challenge. The last addition to the Japanese marque’s Hypercar team was Nyck de Vries, who joined the #7 crew in 2024 after a long stint as its reserve driver and accumulating plenty of test miles in the GR010 LMH.

Prior to de Vries’s signing, the last time Toyota made a change to its line-up was in 2022, when Ryo Hirakawa stepped up from Super GT to replace the retiring Nakajima.

Policand is aware that landing a plum Toyota seat won’t be easy, but believes Masson has what it takes to join the most successful team in present-day WEC.

“I think he has the potential,” he said. “You know how it is. I don't say WEC is like Formula 1, but to reach [there, it is difficult] because the level of the driver in WEC is incredible - especially at Toyota.

“If you look at the two line-ups, they are super strong. But he has a chance, yes.”

Toyota knows that it has landed an exceptional talent with Masson. The 2026 WEC season will be crucial for him, as he helms the #78 ASP crew in a car now capable of winning races and potentially mounting a title assault. How he fares in 2026 could go a long way in shaping his long-term future and determining whether he is ripe for a Hypercar promotion.

Toyota’s driver line-up for 2026 is already set, but Nakajima suggested that Masson is very much on the radar as the team evaluates its long-term plans.

“Esteban is basically part of our driver development,” the 40-year-old told Motorsport.com. “He's been racing in ELMS and this year he has done Super Formula Lights, and he did some LMGT3 as well. He is performing really well and he is progressing quite well. 

“We have to say we are lucky that we have such a driver in our young driver programme.

“Generally, we are always open to find any possible new talent. Particularly within the Toyota family, we have a high motivation to give any possible opportunity that we can give to those young drivers, as well to also find the talent. This is important as a team to look ahead for the long term.

“At the same time, we are also happy with our current drivers, so it's just a matter of how long [it takes before we need to change our line-up] - but we need to be prepared as a team. I'm quite happy with what we have in our hands right now.”

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