VIDEO: With F1 program scrapped, where will Toyota Motorsports land next?
Toyota GT-One – Click above for high-res image gallery
As Toyota president Akio Toyoda announced the withdrawal of his company from the Formula One World Championship, he reiterated Toyota's commitment to motorsport competition. But while this may have been pure lip-service, the Japanese automaker has a long history in racing, leading to speculation over where Toyota could land next. According to Toyoda:
Even in the absence of a renewed F1 program, Toyota continues to compete in series as diverse as Formula Nippon, NHRA, Grand Am, Super GT and NASCAR. While the beancounters in Tokyo could continue to rely solely on these and other existing programs – or worse, start pulling out of more – sources point to potential racing programs at Le Mans, in the new FIA GT1 World Championship or possibly in the shifting World Rally Championship. Any of these categories would give Toyota a more direct tie-in to its road-going products, but which – if any – the Japanese motor giant will ultimately choose remains to be seen. In the meantime, enjoy the short clip after the jump highlighting the company's history and continued involvement in motor racing worldwide.Motor sports remain an important means of personalizing the automobile in the eyes of customers. Motor sports also remain an important means of cultivating human resources and our R&D operations. ... We will rethink our motor-sports activities with an eye to maximizing those benefits while addressing economic realities.
[Source: PistonHeads]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
JCUOIT 4:06PM (11/06/2009)
Figure Eight dirt track racing!!!!
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meatbag 4:07PM (11/06/2009)
the image on the article is a picture of a poster i think... something is just too... flat about it
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BeerGremlin 4:08PM (11/06/2009)
They should throw some floor mats in their race cars. They'd win everytime!
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Carlos 5:27PM (11/06/2009)
Lol that was a good one
AH2049 4:09PM (11/06/2009)
Every time I see the front of that car, the first thing that comes to mind is "Cylon". I can totally see the red "eye" sliding left and right in the windshield....
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Paul 4:11PM (11/06/2009)
With F1 imploding as we speak, I'd prefer everyone jump into the more relevant, more global and more accessible LeMans series. Both the European and American series are fantastic racing and, given that they use a mix of prototype and real GT cars, it's something that makes more sense for manufacturers and fans alike.
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Cypher09 4:56PM (11/06/2009)
+1
A GT1 LFA in GT1 & a Dome chassis with a 3.4L Formula Nippon motor mated to a hybrid system in LMP1 sounds like a good way to get back to Le Mans.
hashiryu 5:01PM (11/06/2009)
x2
LeMans FTW. WRC is in a worse state than F1 (Thanks again to the FIA), though IRC might be an interesting romp.
AH2049 4:11PM (11/06/2009)
Every time I see the front of that car, the first thing that comes to mind is "Cylon". I can totally see the red "eye" sliding left and right in the windshield....
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Throwback 4:18PM (11/06/2009)
My suggestion is WRC with the FT-86, or Yaris. This would give them world wide exposure.
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mk15 4:25PM (11/06/2009)
Toyota Motorsports should work on creating a spec-series race/league for when the FT-86 comes out. Motorsports should not only mean high-level professional racing. Look at Mazda at the grassroots level in the USA, that's what Toyota should try to do in the USA. Toyota did a series-spec race with the Prius in Japan, so why not the FT-86 for when it's out?
As for elite/top-level professional motorsports, they could always try their hand at WRC again, they (FIA/WRC) made it "cheaper" with the new rules and the Aygo would be a perfect candidate.
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geo.stewart 4:33PM (11/06/2009)
Wherever Yugo, Aygo.
judd 4:34PM (11/06/2009)
I agree. Just like the AE-86 series they run in Japan or enter the Koni Challenge or Grand Am like Kia.
hashiryu 5:06PM (11/06/2009)
Toyota Motorsports GmbH is based in Europe. Why o why would they make a spec series in the US?
Worry not, a spec series foe the FT is a given, in the US as well as Japan.... they already have the yaris cup, corolla axio one make series, and one for the Auris blade coming soon I think.
Toyota motorsports has unfinished business at lemans. I'd like to see them go back there. Perhaps enter lexus in the fia gt... or not. What other series do the ACO run?
p.s. @autblog, word is Grand Am is getting axed next year too.
mk15 9:18AM (11/07/2009)
@hashiryu
Sorry, forgot they were based in Europe.
It's too bad about the Grand Am series. I saw a couple of Grand Am races, fun to watch.
@geo.stewart
Haha, well played.
Xa 4:59PM (11/06/2009)
i hope they go back to sports cars. the fia doesn't run le mans, so it may be worth a look.
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Redline 5:02PM (11/06/2009)
FT-86 in WRC!
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kr_metal 5:07PM (11/06/2009)
They still haven't competed in one that will probably improve their trucks and SUV's - Baja.
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Tawcoma26 5:48PM (11/06/2009)
GT-1 & GT-2
go get em'
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Fartz McGee 5:54PM (11/06/2009)
Toyota have competed and won at Baja in the 80's and early 90's with Ivan "The Iron Man" Stewart.
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