Toyota announces return to World Rally Championship

Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) has announced its Toyota Racing, Lexus Racing and GAZOO Racing motorsports activities for 2015.

The company has also announced that it will return to the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) in 2017, to compete in the series for the first time since 1999. The rally vehicle will be based on the Yaris hatchback and Toyota Motorsport GmbH (TMG) is developing and testing the engine (1.6-liter direct-injection turbo global race engine) and vehicle. Between 1973 and 1999 (with a temporary suspension between 1996 and 1997), Toyota won 43 WRC rallies and won the championship three times.

Toyota Racing will continue to race in the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) and play a supporting role for teams competing in the US NASCAR, Japanese Super Formula and the Dakar Rally.

Lexus Racing will compete in Japan's top-level Super GT and provide the Lexus RC F GT3 globally for use in grass-roots motorsports.

This year GAZOO Racing will again take part in the Nürburgring 24 Hours endurance race, as it has with a team of employees since 2007 with the aim of personnel development. It will now increase these activities by entering a staff team in the All Japan Rally Championship and having Toyota mechanics participate in Japan's Super Taikyu series. In addition to providing a full range of grass-roots motorsports events such as the GAZOO Racing 86/BRZ Race and GAZOO Racing ‘Waku-Doki’ driving, it has also established a support program to nurture professional rally drivers.