Toyota Gazoo Racing

The roots of Toyota Gazoo Racing trace back to 2007, when Akio Toyoda, then a vice president, formed 'Team Gazoo' to compete in the 24 Hours of Nürburgring using two used Altezzas. The name 'Gazoo' originated from a 1990s Toyota website (Gazoo.com) used for displaying images of used car stock, derived from the Japanese word 'gazo' for image. This grassroots racing effort eventually led to the consolidation of Toyota's various racing arms—including Toyota Racing and Lexus Racing—under the unified Toyota Gazoo Racing banner in April 2015. In 2017, the division was further formalized as the 'Gazoo Racing Company,' an in-house company within Toyota designed to operate with greater independence and profitability. This shift was pivotal in transitioning the brand from a purely competitive entity into a manufacturer of dedicated performance road cars. The 2019 launch of the GR Supra marked the first global GR-branded model, developed in collaboration with BMW and assembled by Magna Steyr. Following the Supra, the brand released the GR Yaris in 2020, a car engineered specifically for WRC homologation and produced at the specialized 'GR Factory' in Motomachi, Japan. The lineup expanded with the GR86 in 2021, a joint project with Subaru, and the GR Corolla in 2022. These models have solidified TGR's reputation for engineering drivers' cars that prioritize mechanical engagement and chassis rigidity. On the track, Toyota Gazoo Racing has achieved unprecedented success for a Japanese manufacturer, securing five consecutive wins at the 24 Hours of Le Mans (2018–2022) and multiple manufacturer titles in the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) and World Rally Championship (WRC). In 2024, the brand expanded its reach by entering a technical partnership with the Haas F1 Team, marking Toyota's return to Formula One involvement for the first time since 2009.