Toyota has launched its own high-spec racing car to enter the Supercars Championship in 2026, joining a series known for its tribal rivalry between Ford and Holden.
And the new kids on the track have a plan to challenge this State-of-Origin-esque 75-year-old feud.
Sean Hanley, the firm’s vice president of sales and marketing, told Central News: “We’re enthusiastic to be part of racing because we [have] this saying; we race, we learn… you win.”
He added it was the learning Toyota Gazoo Racing (TGR) will gain from participating in the sport, from accidents to breakdowns, that would be the ultimate test.
“How did we respond in the heat of battle?” he said. “We’re not short-term players.
“We know we’ve got to work hard and earn the right to win this race, but we also know we will win this race eventually.”
A Central News poll of nearly 100 fans found that 77 per cent were excited by the move.
Cay Wollett, a 36-year-old security guard from Melbourne and supercars fan, said: “With Toyota coming in, it will invite more manufacturers in and go back to the old touring car [days].”
Fans stake out viewpoints at the top of Mount Panorama ahead of the recent Bathurst 1000. Photo: Alex Bahn
From Red Bull Ampol Racing to Walkinshaw Andretti United (formerly the Holden Racing Team), and some of the series’ most famous teams, what sets them apart in the eyes of the fans is winning the storied Bathurst 1000.
TGR has the same objective, to secure their long-term future in the series, not by ‘stealing’ current fans but bringing new ones in.
“It’s got to be long term. You will not win Supercars fans on the strength of one season even if you won it,” Hanley said.
“Because these are super loyal fans and I don’t expect thousands of them will leave.
“We’ve got to bring new fans. I think that’s where we’ll get our audience. These will be new people to Supercars because of our representation.”
The new TGR design. Photo: Alex Bahn.
Nic Hogios, chief designer for TGR Australia, said he was especially excited about the project.
“I mean, our studio is full of motorsport enthusiasts, and you don’t really have to ask… would you like to work on a sports car,” he said.
“Would you like to work on a TGR sports car? Would you like to work on a TGR Supercar?
“It’s like a triple whammy.”
The Supercars Championship gets back on track next at the 2024 Vailo Adelaide 500 in Adelaide Parklands.
Main image from the rear wing of Toyota’s Supercar clay model being worked on recently at Bathurst. Photo: Alex Bahn.
