Toyota Gazoo Racing

Lore & Background

In 2007, an in-house team consisting of student test drivers and mechanics led by Hiromu Naruse competed in the 24 Hours Nürburgring race under the name Team Gazoo. Akio Toyoda also participated as a driver. The name 'Gazoo' comes from a portal site Toyota was involved in establishing. From 2002 to 2009, Toyota Motorsport GmbH (now Toyota Gazoo Racing Europe) developed Formula One cars for Toyota, but the team withdrew from F1 at the end of 2009. In April 2015, all motorsports activities under 'Gazoo Racing', 'Toyota Racing', and 'Lexus Racing' were unified under 'Gazoo Racing'. In 2017, the Gazoo Racing Company was established as an in-house company. In January 2026, Toyota announced that TGR will revert to the name Gazoo Racing, with TGR Europe renamed to Toyota Racing, to be completed by January 2027.

Reader's Guide

The GR-branded performance road cars include the GR Supra, the GR Yaris, the GR86, the GR Corolla, and the GR GT. The GR Yaris, launched in 2020, is the first GR-branded car produced by Toyota and the first dedicated GR model. The GR Supra, released in 2019, shares a platform with the BMW Z4 and is produced by Magna Steyr in Austria. The GR86 (2021) is jointly developed with Subaru. The GR Corolla (2022) is built primarily for North America. The GR GT (2025) is the fifth GR-branded car and the first standalone GR-branded car.

Did You Know?

• The GR Factory at the Motomachi plant does not use a conveyor belt assembly line; vehicles are built at stations with more manual assembly.
• Toyota Gazoo Racing Europe was formerly known as Toyota Motorsport GmbH (TMG) prior to 2016.
• In October 2024, TGR entered Formula One with Haas F1 Team as a technical partner, becoming title sponsor from 2026.