Doha: Toyota Gazoo Racing, the in-house brand responsible for motorsports activities administered by Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC), has announced schedule for 2016.
Under the Toyota Gazoo Racing team name, Toyota will participate in the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC), the Nürburgring 24 Hours endurance race and the Japanese Rally Championship.
WEC 2016 will see the debut of the new Toyota TS050 Hybrid race vehicle, with which the team will aim to recapture the series championship and achieve its first win in the 24 Hours of Le Mans in June.
The TS050 Hybrid utilises a new hybrid system developed at Toyota’s Higashi-Fuji Technical Centre. In the 2016 Nürburgring 24 Hours endurance race, Toyota will celebrate its 10th year of participation by entering three cars: Toyota C-HR Racing, and Lexus RC F and RC.
Takayuki Yoshitsugu, Chief Representative, Middle East and North Africa Representative Office, TMC, said: “Motorsports events offer a crucial means of conveying the excitement of driving and are at the heart of Toyota’s efforts to foster a greater following of car fans and enthusiasts. By taking part in these activities under the umbrella of Toyota Gazoo Racing, Toyota can focus on developing its people and improving products, contributing to the creation of better, more advanced cars.
“The know-how from our advanced hybrid race cars is in use to enhance Toyota’s road car hybrids, and the WEC’s focus on fuel economy and road-relevant technology is expected to see further technology transfer from track to road. We appreciate the support from our customers who have always backed our racing efforts.”
In the US, Toyota will continue to compete in NASCAR events, while in South America, it will support Toyota Auto Body Co., Ltd., which will participate in the Dakar Rally in early 2017.
In Japan, Toyota will participate in the Super GT and Super Formula series, which are in the top-tier of motorsports events in the country, and will compete in the Super Taikyu series with the 86 coupe.
Next year, Toyota will return to WRC. Preparations continue, with a rally vehicle based on the Yaris compact hatchback being developed to meet FIA 2017 regulations. As part of initiatives to cultivate young drivers who hope to compete in high-level international racing events, Toyota will continue to run the Toyota Gazoo Racing Rally Challenge Programme for rallies and the Toyota Young Drivers Programme (TDP) for races.
Toyota will also try to raise awareness about automotive culture, creating a new generation of car enthusiasts in the process. Key to these efforts will be participative, informal motorsports events targeting participation by ordinary customers, such as the Toyota Gazoo Racing 86/BRZ Race, Toyota Gazoo Racing Netz Cup Vitz Race and Toyota Gazoo Racing Rally Challenge. Toyota will continue to share information about upcoming races, rallies and events by utilising digital platforms and social networking sites.
It will also share updates on its line-up of tuned and performance models, such as the GRMN and G’s series, adapted based on racing and rally experiences.
A new logo for Toyota Gazoo Racing activities has been announced, along with a unified colour scheme to be implemented for all participating vehicles.The Peninsula
