A Look Back at Toyota’s Successful Motorsports History

Toyota has a rich history in motorsports, spanning more than five decades. Here are some of the key highlights:

• In the 1960s, Toyota entered the Japanese Grand Prix and the Safari Rally with its 2000GT sports car. The 2000GT was successful in both events, winning the GT-II class in the Japanese Grand Prix and finishing second overall in the Safari Rally.
• In the 1970s, Toyota established a motorsports division and began competing in various racing series, including Formula Two, Formula Three, and sports car racing. In 1975, Toyota won the World Championship for Makes in the 2-Litre class with its Celica LB Turbo.
• In the 1980s, Toyota entered the World Rally Championship (WRC) with its Celica Turbo 4WD, and later the Corolla WRC. The Celica Turbo 4WD won three WRC events in 1992, while the Corolla WRC won the manufacturer’s championship in 1999.
• In the 1990s, Toyota entered the CART championship in the United States with its Eagle MkIII race car. The Eagle MkIII won the championship in 1996 and 1997 with driver Jimmy Vasser.
• In the 2000s, Toyota entered Formula One with its own team, Toyota Racing. Despite significant investment, Toyota’s F1 team never won a race in its eight-year tenure. However, the team achieved several podium finishes and set multiple lap records.
• In the 2010s, Toyota returned to sports car racing with its TS030 Hybrid prototype. The TS030 Hybrid won several races in the World Endurance Championship (WEC) and finished second overall in the championship in 2013 and 2014. In 2018, Toyota won the 24 Hours of Le Mans with its TS050 Hybrid.

Toyota has a long and successful history in the World Rally Championship (WRC), one of the most prestigious and challenging motorsports competitions in the world. Here are some of Toyota’s key milestones in the WRC:

• The Celica Turbo 4WD: Toyota’s first foray into the WRC came in the late 1980s with the Celica Turbo 4WD. The car was powered by a turbocharged 2.0-litre engine and featured all-wheel drive, making it a formidable competitor in the rugged and demanding terrain of rally racing. In its debut season in 1988, the Celica Turbo 4WD won the Rally Australia, and it went on to win five more rallies over the next three seasons.
• The Celica GT-Four: In 1990, Toyota introduced the Celica GT-Four, an even more powerful and advanced rally car. The GT-Four featured a turbocharged 2.0-liter engine that produced up to 300 horsepower and advanced four-wheel drive and suspension systems. The car proved to be highly successful in the WRC, winning 16 rallies over the course of its career.
• The Corolla WRC: In 1997, Toyota replaced the Celica with the Corolla WRC. The Corolla featured a turbocharged 2.0-litre engine that produced up to 300 horsepower, and it was designed to be even more agile and responsive than the Celica. The Corolla WRC won its first rally, the Rally Monte Carlo, in its debut season, and it went on to win 13 more rallies over the next four seasons.
• Toyota’s WRC Hiatus: Despite its success in the WRC, Toyota withdrew from the competition in 1999 due to financial concerns and a strategic shift towards other motorsports series.
• Toyota’s Return to the WRC: After a 17-year hiatus, Toyota returned to the WRC in 2017 with the Yaris WRC. The Yaris was designed to be a lightweight and agile rally car, with a turbocharged 1.6-litre engine that produced up to 380 horsepower. In its debut season, the Yaris won the Rally Sweden and went on to win four more rallies over the next two seasons.
• In 2020, Toyota won the manufacturer’s championship for the third year in a row, with six wins and 18 podium finishes. The Yaris WRC has been praised for its reliability and speed, and has established Toyota as one of the top teams in the WRC.

Some of Toyota’s most successful racing drivers

Toyota has had a number of successful racing drivers over the years, across various motorsport disciplines. Here are some of the most notable:

1. Tommi Mäkinen: Mäkinen is one of the most successful rally drivers of all time, and he won four consecutive World Rally Championship titles with Mitsubishi from 1996 to 1999. After retiring from driving, Mäkinen became the team principal for Toyota’s WRC program, helping to lead the team to its recent successes.
2. Sebastien Ogier: Ogier is a French rally driver who has won seven World Rally Championship titles, including three with Volkswagen and four with Ford/M-Sport. In 2020, he joined Toyota Gazoo Racing and helped the team win its third consecutive manufacturer’s championship.
3. Fernando Alonso: Alonso is a two-time Formula One world champion and one of the most successful drivers in the history of the sport. In 2018 and 2019, he competed for Toyota in the World Endurance Championship, winning the 24 Hours of Le Mans both years.
4. Kamui Kobayashi: Kobayashi is a Japanese racing driver who has competed in Formula One and sports car racing. He has been a part of Toyota’s World Endurance Championship program since 2012, and has won the 24 Hours of Le Mans with the team three times.
5. Mike Conway: Conway is a British racing driver who has had success in various categories, including GP2, IndyCar, and sports car racing. He has been a part of Toyota’s World Endurance Championship program since 2014, and has won the 24 Hours of Le Mans twice with the team.

These are just a few of the many successful drivers who have competed for Toyota over the years. The company’s commitment to motorsports has helped to attract some of the best talent in the industry, and has contributed to its success both on and off the track.

Kris Beck

Kris is the founder of 86modified.com and has a love for cars and modifying them. He has owned many different Japanese cars and has enjoyed installing modifications to get more power or fitting body parts to change the aesthetics.

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