TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Presents 2023 Race Team Setups

TOYOTA GAZOO Racing (TGR) announced on November 25 its domestic and international race entry structure and the outline of TGR GR86/BRZ Cup and TGR Yaris Cup for the 2023 season.

TGR will continue its practice of making ever-better motorsports-bred cars and pursuing activities to enhance the appeal and sustainability of motorsports.

Major Results for the 2022 Race Season

2023 racing team setups

FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC)

• In 2023, we will continue to race in the Hypercar category (LMH class), which is the top class of the WEC. A number of new rivals will participate in 2023, which will also mark the 100th anniversary of the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
• TGR will enter with the GR010 HYBRID, fitted with RACING HYBRID technology that has been advanced during WEC competition.
• Two vehicles will compete in the series, with TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Europe GmbH in Cologne, Germany as the base.

WEC Team Principal & Drivers' Comments

Kamui Kobayashi (Team Principal and driver, car #7)

"We achieved all out targets this year, winning Le Mans, Fuji and the World Championships, thanks to the big support from Toyota and our partners. But we start again in 2023 with even stronger competition, so we need to improve ourselves, making our team and car even stronger. The drivers are an important part of our team and I am happy to drive alongside Mike, José, Séb, Brendon and Ryo again in 2023. We have a strong team spirit throughout the whole team, particularly among the drivers, and we race together as one family. This is a big strength for our team and we need to trust and support each other next season, to be as strong as possible against the big competition in Hypercar. We are all looking forward to racing against so many manufacturers who have won Le Mans in the past. Winning Le Mans in its centenary year is a big target for everyone, so of course it will be difficult and our competition will be pushing extremely hard. This big fight is what we all want in motorsport and I think it will be really exciting for the fans."

Mike Conway (Driver, car #7)

"It's going to be an exciting challenge in WEC next season and I am really pleased to be part of TOYOTA GAZOO Racing for the start of this new era in endurance racing. It won't be easy, that's for sure, with so many manufacturers joining, but to have the chance to win Le Mans in its centenary year is a massive motivation. To see such a big grid of Hypercars fighting for the victory will be something special and I'm looking forward to being part of that."

José María López (Driver, car #7)

"I am very happy to continue in the team for another year, especially alongside Mike and Kamui. We have a really close relationship and have become like brothers over the past seasons. There is a great spirit through the whole team and we will need that to face the battle next year, when the Hypercar class will be incredibly competitive. It's exciting for everyone, the team, the drivers and the fans. I know the team is already working flat-out to be ready and I can't wait."

Sébastien Buemi (Driver, car #8)

"I'm grateful to the team, and Toyota, for the opportunity to participate in such an incredible season for WEC and Le Mans. It's hard to believe that this will be my 11th season with the team in WEC; we have experienced so much together and it has become like a family. We need to use all that experience, and everything we have learned over the years, to be ready for the fight next season. Clearly our target will be to retain our world titles and win Le Mans again, which would be even more special in the centenary year."

Brendon Hartley (Driver, car #8)

"The 2023 season looks like being an incredible one for endurance racing and our job certainly doesn't get any easier. The fight between the manufacturers will be intense, and we need to be well prepared, with a fast and reliable car; there will be no room for error. It's a real privilege to be part of such a landmark season. Thanks to Toyota and everyone in the team, not only for a fantastic 2022 season, but for giving us as drivers the chance to be part of the fight next year."

Ryo Hirakawa (Driver, car #8)

"I learned a lot during my first season in WEC, so I think I will come back stronger next year, and even more prepared for the big challenge. It still hasn't sunk in that I will start the season as reigning Le Mans winner and a World Champion, but of course the target is to defend those titles. Thank you to the team, to Toyota and all our partners for giving me this opportunity and supporting us to be part of a special season in 2023. We enjoyed the moment in Bahrain, but already the whole team is focused on preparing and improving for next season."

SUPER GT

GT500 Class

• TGR will participate with the GR Supra GT500 also in 2023.
• We will support six teams (six vehicles) through TOYOTA CUSTOMIZING & DEVELOPMENT Co., Ltd. (TCD).

GT300 Class

The team set-up for the GT300 class will be announced at a later date.

Japanese Super Formula Championship

• TRD (Toyota Racing Development) will supply 11 vehicles from six teams with two-liter four-cylinder direct injection gasoline turbo engines (TRD 01F).
• All vehicles will be equipped with tires made by Yokohama.
• Kazuto Kotaka, who was crowned series champion in the 2022 Japanese Super Formula Lights Championship, will participate for the first time.

Driver Development Initiatives in Japan

1. TGR Driver Challenge Program (TGR-DC)

• To achieve a sustainable motorsports industry, we will continue to implement programs aiming to cultivate and produce young drivers who can actively compete in top categories in Japan and around the world, by discovering and nurturing outstanding talent and supporting advancement to the next level.
• Talented drivers are identified and, according to their level of skill, provided with programs for further improvement including SUPER GT, Japanese Super Formula Championship and TGR WRC/WEC challenge programs.
• TGR will support the following young drivers in 2023.

2. TGR-DC Racing School

• The program aims to cultivate young drivers who are capable of competing in top racing categories, and to expand the base of motorsports through proper driving schooling.
• The schooling session is planned to be held in 2023 at Fuji Speedway. The details will be announced at a later date.
• Drivers with outstanding results will receive support from TGR to participate in races in the following year(s).
• TGR will support the following young drivers who compete in the Japanese FIA-F4 Championship series, the entry class formula category in 2023.

Japan-Based Participatory Motorsport Events

In the hope of expanding the enjoyment of driving, TGR will hold a full range of driving activities at venues around Japan in collaboration with the various regions and circuits. TGR will increase its support for people who would like to compete in participatory motorsports events such as races and rallies, while prioritizing the safety and health of participants.

TOYOTA GAZOO Racing GR86/BRZ Cup (organized by the Toyota Cars Race Association)

The TGR GR86/BRZ Cup is the successor to the TGR 86/BRZ Race, which was held for the previous generation Toyota 86/Subaru BRZ (model: ZN6/ZC6) for nine years from 2013 to 2021. The TGR GR86/BRZ Cup is a one-make race for the new GR86/Subaru BRZ (model: ZN8/ZD8); the cars used for racing are the GR86 Cup Car Basic and Subaru BRZ Cup Car Basic, which can be purchased at Toyota and Subaru dealers nationwide. The Cup is divided into the "Professional Series" and "Clubman Series," continuing the two-series format of its predecessor. Many top drivers who currently compete in SUPER GT are also scheduled to take part in the "Professional Series." The "Clubman Series," on the other hand, is open only to gentleman drivers and other amateur drivers; professionally certified drivers cannot participate. One-make series are characterized by minor differences in car performance, and therefore promise closely fought battles. The 2023 series is scheduled to be held over a total of seven rounds at seven leading circuits across Japan.

Schedule (Tentative)

TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Yaris Cup (organized by the Toyota Cars Race Association)

The TGR Yaris Cup participatory one-make race was launched in 2021 as the successor to the TGR Netz Cup Vitz Race, which was the first-ever JAF-certified one-make race in Japan for road-registered cars and ran from 2000 to 2020. The competing car is the Yaris Cup Car; it is based on the 1.5-liter-engine Yaris, and includes both manual and CVT-spec models. The competition is divided into two series―East Japan and West Japan―and drivers can choose which series to participate in according to where they live. The support system will be further enhanced so that first-time participants in motorsports can also enjoy competing with peace of mind. In 2023, the competition is again scheduled to be divided into two series―East Japan and West Japan―and held at seven leading circuits across Japan.

Schedule (Tentative)

e-Motorsports

In 2023, TGR will continue as an official partner of the Gran Turismo World Series and intends to host unique TGR races that can be enjoyed by e-Motorsports players around the world. The details will be announced around March.