TOYOTA RACING History

Since 1979, the TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Europe facility in Cologne has been the home to various top-level motorsport programmes as well as a variety of high-performance engineering.

The company began life as Andersson Motorsport GmbH, named after founder Ove Andersson. Competing as Toyota Team Europe (TTE) in the World Rally Championship, the company initially found fame by dominating the Safari Rally and helping future FIA President Mohammed Bin Sulayem to four consecutive Middle East Rally Championships. 

World Championship success followed soon, in 1990, when Carlos Sainz won the drivers’ title, adding another two years later. In 1993, TTE won its first manufacturers’ title, with Juha Kankkunen completing an historic double success, which was repeated a year later when Didier Auriol took the drivers’ crown.

The company expanded in 1998 to enter the Le Mans 24 Hours with the TS020, designed and built in Cologne, which set the fastest lap in its first Le Mans. Toyota was the favourite a year later but, despite pole position, bad luck left it with just second place. Meanwhile Toyota paused its WRC participation, ending on a high by winning the manufacturers’ championship. 

Also in 1999, Toyota announced it would enter Formula 1. As the only new constructor to enter between 1998 and 2009 – and one of only two to build the entire car under one roof – the company’s experience and performance developed continuously following a points-scoring debut in Australia 2002. 

In 2005, Toyota’s first F1 pole and podium positions were achieved while the Corolla TS Compressor sports conversion was launched to open a new business avenue for the company. Further podium and pole positions followed in the coming years but at the end of the 2009 season, Toyota withdrew from Formula 1, after 140 Grands Prix, 13 podiums, three pole positions, three fastest laps and 278.5 points.

A new chapter therefore began immediately, with the Cologne facility becoming a high-performance centre for design, development and production. Clients including Formula 1 teams and OEMs became regular customers, using facilities such as wind tunnels, test rigs and manufacturing, while the company’s motorsport know-how supported Toyota projects, enhancing the mission to make ever-better road cars. 

Motorsport remained a key pillar and in 2012 Toyota returned to the global stage with a hybrid-powered prototype for the FIA World Endurance Championship, based in Cologne. Toyota was immediately a strong contender and, following three wins in its debut 2012 season, won the 2014 drivers’ and manufacturers’ World Championships. 

By that time, motorsport activities in Cologne had expanded to cover supplying the engine to Toyota’s new WRC team, plus customer motorsport projects in race and rally. 

The 2018-2019 WEC season entered the Toyota history books as TOYOTA GAZOO Racing won seven of eight races, including Le Mans twice, winning the teams’ and drivers’ World Championships. A remarkable period for Toyota saw TOYOTA GAZOO Racing win WRC crowns as well, while the GR Supra GT4 car expanded the customer motorsport activities in Cologne.

Yet another new era began in Cologne in April 2020 when Toyota Motorsport GmbH became TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Europe, reflecting an increasing role within GAZOO Racing Company and road car R&D. Later that year, a third consecutive Le Mans win brought the trophy home to Cologne permanently. 

TGR-E’s run of success continued despite the two new technical challenges. Hypercars replaced LMP1 and TOYOTA GAZOO Racing won back-to-back Hypercar WEC titles and Le Mans 24 Hours in 2021 and 2022. The introduction of hybrids to WRC required an intense engineering effort and that team spirit delivered rally milestones; the final titles of the World Rally Car period in 2021 and the first of the hybrid generation a year later, when Kalle Rovanperä became the youngest-ever champion.

Away from the motorsport arena, TGR-E continues to respond to global challenges, setting new sustainability targets as part of Toyota’s global commitments. In addition to pioneering new powertrain and simulation technology, contributing to the continuous goals of making-ever better cars and a zero emissions future, the Cologne facility itself has taken significant steps towards carbon neutrality.