MILESTONES IN TOYOTA MOTOR SPORT
YEAR
1957
CATEGORY
Rally
1958
1962
Rally
TMC
1963
Sportscar
1964
TMC
1965
TMC
Sportscar
1966
Sportscar
1967
Sportscar
1968
Sportscar
1969
Sportscar
1970
World Rally
Sportscar
Sportscar
TMC
1971
1972
World Rally
1973
Rally
Touring Cars
World Rally
1974
Formula 3
DETAILS
Toyopet Crown enters the Rally of Australia, finishes 47th
out of 102 starters.
Toyopet Crown wins the Around Japan Rally.
Toyota Sports 800 prototype is revealed at the Tokyo Motor
Show.
Toyota claims three class victories in the first Japan GP at
Suzuka with the Crown, Corona and Publica.
Plans for the Toyota 2000GT are initiated.
Creation of the Toyota Motor Sports Club (TMSC)
First Toyota 2000GT prototype is presented at the Tokyo
Motor Show.
Debut of the production Toyota Sports 800, Toyota’s first
sportscar
Toyota Sport 800 wins All Japan Car Club Championship.
Toyota 2000GT finishes third on its racing debut at the third
Japanese GP.
Toyota 2000GT sets three world and 13 international speed
trial records.
Toyota Sport 800 wins the Suzuka 500km and claims a 1-2-3
GT-1 class finish in the Japanese GP
Toyota 2000GT takes first and second in the Fuji 24 hours
endurance race with the Sport 800 third in its final
competition outing.
First Toyota 7 is unveiled, equipped with a 3.0-litre V8
engine.
Toyota 7 finishes eighth at the Japanese GP.
Toyota 2000GT developed by Carroll Shelby for the SCCA
series in the USA and scores victories in its first competition
season.
5.0-litre Toyota 7 is unveiled and goes on to finish third in
the Japanese GP. Further wins are claimed in the Fuji
1,000km, NETspeed Cup and Japanese Can-Am series.
Toyota Corona Mark II GSS enters the Monte Carlo Rally.
Turbocharged 5.0-litre Toyota 7 is unveiled.
The first Celica race car is developed.
Toyota Motor Corporation prepares to enter the
international motor sport arena.
A Celica is entered in the RAC Rally in Great Britain and
finishes ninth overall, driven by Ove Andersson.
Toyota’s first European team, Andersson Motorsport, is
established in Uppsala, Sweden.
The Celica 1600 GT finishes sixth at the Nurburgring 6 Hours
and ninth at the Spa 24 Hours.
Canadian Walter Boyce claims Toyota’s first world class
rally victory, driving a Corolla in the USA’s Press On
Regardless Rally.
Novamotor-prepared Toyota engines begin to make their
mark in European Formula 3 competition.
TMC
1975
TTE
World Rally
1978
Formula 3
1979
TMC
1981
1982
TTE
IMSA
World Rally
1983
IMSA
Formula 3
1984
World Rally
MTEG
1985
Le Mans
1986
World Rally
IMSA
World Rally
1987
Rally
IMSA
Formula 3
1988
Rally
World Rally
Formula 3
MTEG
World oil crisis prompts Toyota to halt all motor sport
development.
Backing from European Toyota sales and marketing
companies secures the future of Andersson Motorsport,
which relocates from Uppsala in Sweden to Brussels and
changes its name to Toyota Team Europe (TTE).
Hannu Mikkola scores TTE’s first victory, winning the 1,000
Lakes Rally in Finland in a 1,600cc Toyota Corolla.
The Toyota-powered Ralt RT-1 carries Nelson Piquet to the
British F3 title.
Toyota Racing Developments (TRD) is established to coordinate racing activities in North America.
TTE moves its operations from Brussels to Cologne.
Celica makes its debut in the IMSA GTU series.
Björn Waldegård scores Toyota’s first win on a Drivers’
World Rally Championship (WRC) event, leading a one-two
finish (another first for Toyota) in the New Zealand Rally in
a Celica GT.
Dan Gurney’s All American Racers (AAR) team enters the
Celica in 12 IMSA races and takes two GTU class wins.
Ayrton Senna wins the Macau GP in a Toyota-powered Ralt
RT3.
Björn Waldegård gives the Celica Twincam Turbo its first
victory, on the Safari Rally.
Toyota claims the manufacturer and driver titles in the US
MTEG series.
Toyota makes its debut at Le Mans, the Toyota TOMS 85C-L
finishing 12th.
Toyota wins its second Safari Rally.
The Celica is entered by AAR for its first full season in
IMSA’s GTO class.
The Celica Twincam Turbo claims its third successive Safari
Rally win. Toyota claims a 1-2-3-4 finish on the Ivory Coast
Rally (drivers’ championship event).
Toyota Land Cruiser wins three classes and finishes fourth
overall in the Paris-Dakar Rally.
Toyota wins the manufacturers’ title and Chris Cord takes
the drivers’ championship with the Celica Turbo in the IMSA
GTO series.
Martin Donnelly and Jan Lammers finish first and second in
Toyota-powered Ralt RT31 cars in the Macau GP.
Toyota Land Cruisers win two categories, three classes with
highest finishers in seventh place overall in the Paris-Dakar
rally.
The Celica GT-Four (ST165) makes its debut on the Tour de
Corse, finishing sixth.
JJ Lehto wins the British Formula 3 Championship, his car
powered by a Toyota 3S-G engine.
Toyota wins manufacturers’ and drivers’ titles in the US
MTEG off-road series.
1989
IMSA
World Rally
1990
1991
Le Mans
World Rally
Formula
Atlantic
World Rally
Rally
1992
IMSA
World Rally
Le Mans
World
Sportscars
IMSA
Formula 3
1993
IMSA
Le Mans
TTE
World Rally
1994
CART
World Rally
1995
Le Mans
The Toyota-powered Eagle Mark II is introduced in the IMSA
GTP series.
The Celica GT-Four (ST165) claims its first victory and the
first for a Toyota 4WD car,on the Rally Australia with Juha
Kankkunen.
Toyota 90C-V finishes sixth at Le Mans 24 Hours.
Carlos Sainz wins Toyota’s first WRC drivers’ championship
and Toyota is runner-up in the manufacturers’
championship.
Bjorn Waldegard wins his fourth Safari Rally.
Toyota begins supplying engines to the North American
Formula Atlantic series.
Toyota takes the first victory for a Japanese car on the
Monte Carlo Rally and follows up with wins on the Portugal,
Corsica, New Zealand, Catalunya and Argentina rallies.
Toyota Land Cruiser wins all diesel classes and finishes
ninth overall in the Paris-Dakar rally.
AAR’s Toyota Eagle Mark III makes its GTP debut.
Carlos Sainz wins his second WRC driver’s title for Toyota.
Masanori Sekiya becomes the first Japanese driver to reach
the podium at Le Mans, taking second place with PierreHenri Raphanel and Kenny Acheson in the Toyota TS010.
Toyota enters its first full World Endurance Championship
season with TS010. Hitoshi Ogawa and Geoff Lees win the
opening round of the series, at Monza.
Toyota wins both manufacturer and driver (Juan Manuel
Fangio II ) titles in IMSA GTP.
Rickard Rydell wins the Macau Formula 3 Grand Prix in a
TOMS 032F Toyota.
The Toyota Eagle Mark III wins the Daytona 24-hour race.
Juan Manuel Fangio and Toyota claim the driver and
manufacturer titles for the second successive year. The
winning streak includes an unprecedented 17 straight race
victories.
The Toyota TS010 completes its final Le Mans in fourth
place.
TTE becomes Toyota Motorsport GmbH (TMG), with Ove
Andersson as president.
Toyota wins its first WRC manufacturers’ title, scoring
seven wins, with Juha Kankkunen champion driver.
Toyota approves a programme for entry in the American
CART (later known as Champ Car) racing series.
Celica GT-Four (ST205) makes its debut at the Australian
Rally
Toyota wins its third consecutive WRC driver’s title with
Didier Auriol, the first Frenchman to claim the
championship, and its second consecutive manufacturer’s
title. Victory on the Safari Rally marks Toyota’s seventh win
in eleven years on the same event.
A Toyota Supra GT-LM finishes the Le Mans 24 Hours in 14th
place.
CART
1996
1997
CART
World Rally
Formula 3
Le Mans
Japanese GT
1998
Le Mans
World Rally
Formula 3
1999
Formula 1
Le Mans
CART
World Rally
Formula 3
2000
CART
Formula 1
NASCAR
2001
CART
Formula 1
Japanese GT
2002
Formula 1
Shakedown of the Eagle Mark V engine begins in preparation
for Toyota’s entry into CART racing.
Toyota begins first season as a CART engine supplier.
The Corolla is developed as Toyota’s new WRC challenger.
Tom Coronel wins the Marlboro Masters race at Zandvoort in
The Netherlands.
Toyota prepares a new assault on the Le Mans 24 Hours and
develops the TS020 – GT One – one of the world’s most
technically advanced sportscars.
Michael Krumm and Pedro de la Rosa win the Japanese GT
Championship (JGTC) in a Supra.
The Toyota GT-One completes the Le Mans 24 Hours in
ninth place.
Carlos Sainz gives the WRC Corolla its maiden victory, in the
Monte Carlo Rally. Sainz and Toyota finish the season
runners-up in the driver and manufacturer championships.
Peter Dumbreck wins the Macau F3 Grand Prix in a Dallara
398 TOMS-Toyota.
Toyota announces its interest in launching a Formula 1
programme.
The Toyota GT One claims first, second and third places on
the starting grid and finishes in second place in the Le Mans
24 Hours.
Toyota claims its first CART pole position courtesy of Scott
Pruett at Fontana.
Toyota wins its third WRC manufacturers’ championship in
its final year as an official entrant in the competition.
The Macau Formula 3 GP is won by Darren Manning in a
Dallara 398 TOMS-Toyota.
Juan-Pablo Montoya gives Toyota its first CART victory – at
Milwaukee - the first of five for Toyota-powered cars in the
2000 season.
Jimmy Vasser and Montoya finish first and second for
Toyota at Houston.
Toyota undertakes its first engine test session.
Toyota enters American NASCAR stock car racing with a V6
Celica in the Goody’s Dash series.
Toyota supplies engines to five CART teams. Cristiano da
Matta opens the season with a victory in Mexico, the first of
six for Toyota-powered cars during the year.
Toyota’s first F1 test car is unveiled at the Paul Ricard
circuit in France. In December the team, including drivers
Allan McNish and Mika Salo, and race car are presented at
TTE’s headquarters in Cologne.
Hironori Takeuchi and Yuji Tachikawa win the JGTC in a
Supra.
Toyota scores its first world championship point, thanks to
Mika Salo finishing sixth at the Australian Grand Prix in
Melbourne.
CART
Formula 1
British Rally
FIA Rally
Japanese GT
2003
Formula 1
IndyCar
NASCAR
2004
Formula 1
NASCAR
Grand Am
2005
Formula 1
SUPER GT
2006
IndyCar
Formula
Atlantic
Formula 1
Crisitiano da Matta of the Newman-Haas team wins the
CART series, using a Toyota engine. He wins a record seven
races and claims seven pole positions. Bruno Junqueira is
runner-up, also in a Toyota-powered car.
Toyota concludes its involvement in CART, with a seriesrecord 21 wins in three years.
Cristiano da Matta signs for the Toyota F1 team for 2003.
Jonny Milner wins the British Rally Championship in a
privately-entered WRC Toyota Corolla.
A Toyota Prius becomes the first hybrid power vehicle to
complete an FIA-sanctioned rally, finishing the 5,000-mile
Midnight Sun to Red Sea Rally in 14th place.
The Supra wins a back-to-back JGTC title courtesy of Juichi
Wakisaka and Akira Iida.
Olivier Panis joins Cristiano da Matta for the 2003 F1 series.
Toyota leads an F1 race for the first time, at the British
Grand Prix.
Toyota begins its first season as an engine supplier to the
US Indy Racing League with a one-two-three finish at
Homestead. It also scores a one-two fnish with Gil de
Ferran and Helio Castroneves in the Indy 500 on its debut,
the first Japanese engine to do so.
Toyota is champion engine manufacturer and powers Scott
Dixon to the overall drivers’ title.
Robert Huffman wins the Goody’s Dash series drivers’ title
in the V6 Celica.
Panis and da Matta continue as Toyota’s F1 drivers. Panis
moves to test duties late in the season to make way for new
recruit Jarno Trulli.
Toyota enters its first season in the NASCAR Craftsman
Truck Series with a Tundra pick-up. It wins four races and
claims five pole positions.
Through its Lexus division, Toyota supplies V8 engines to
the American Grand Am Racing League. In this first season,
Lexus powers Scott Pruett to the driver’s title and his Chip
Ganassi Racing Team to the championship.
Ralf Schumacher joins Trulli for the 2005 F1 season.
Toyota reaches the F1 podium for the first time, with Trulli
finishing second at the Malaysian Grand Prix.
Toyota finishes the season in fourth place in the
manufacturers’ championship; Schumacher has 45 points
and Trulli 43.
Toranosuke Takagi and Yuji Tachikawa drive a V8 Supra to
victory in the Super GT Series (formerly the JGTC).
Toyota ends its three-year association with IndyCars.
Toyota ends its association with the North American
formula Atlantic series.
Schumacher and Trulli continue as Toyota’s drivers for the
2006 season.
NASCAR
Grand Am
SUPER GT
2007
TMC
Formula 1
NASCAR
Grand Am
2008
Formula 1
Grand Am
NASCAR
TMG
2009
Formula 1
Toyota announces its will compete in NASCAR’s premier
series, the Sprint Cup, supplying Camry models to three
teams in 2007. The entry coincides with Toyota’s 50th
anniversary in the American market.
Toyota wins the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series with Todd
Bodine taking the drivers’ title.
Lexus powers to its first victory in the 24 Hours of Daytona.
Juichi Wakisaka and Andre Lotterer drive the Lexus SC 430
to the Super GT series title in its first year of competition.
A hybrid power Lexus GS 450h is entered in the Super
Taikyu Tokachi 24-hour race (Japan) and finishes 17th in a
field of 33 cars.
Toyota celebrates 50 years in world motor sport. As part of
the celebrations, it is the lead sponsor of the 2007
Goodwood Festival of Speed.
Trulli and Schumacher complete their third season for
Panasonic Toyota Racing, supported by team newcomer
Franck Montagny as third driver. Schumacher leaves the
squad at the end of the season.
Mike Skinner loses out on the Craftsman Truck Series title
after losing a wheel during the last race of the season.
Toyota is the champion manufacturer for the second year
running, with 13 race wins.
Scott Pruett suffers a collision in his Lexus with Jon Fogarty
in the last race of the season, depriving Chip Ganassi Racing
of a team championship title. Season highlights include
victory at the Daytona 24 Hours and a Lexus 1-2 finish at
Iowa.
Timo Glock, the reigning GP2 champion, joins Panasonic
Toyota Racing as a race driver for the 2008 season,
alongside Jarno Trulli. Japanese graduate of the Toyota
Young Drivers Programme, Kamui Kobayashi, is the team’s
third driver.
Scott Pruett and Memo Rojas take the driver’s
championship and Chip Ganassi the team championship to
give Lexus its sixth Grand Am title since it entered the
competition in 2004. The team claimed six race victories:
Daytona 24hr, Homestead, Virginia, Watkins Glen, Daytona
Sprint and Birmingham.
Toyota claims its maiden victory in NASCAR’s Sprint Cup
series. Kyle Busch drives the Joe Gibbs Racing Camry to first
place at the Atlanta Motor Speedway on March 9, the first
of three Toyota cars in the top 10. He follows this with
seven further race wins during the season.
Tundra driver Johnny Benson wins the NASCAR Craftsman
Truck Series, with Joe Gibbs Racing taking the Owner’s
Championship for Toyota in NASCAR’s Nationwide Series.
Ove Andersson, the founding father of TTE and first
president of Panasonic Toyota Racing, dies following an
accident while competing in a classic rally in South Africa.
In November Toyota announces its withdrawal from Formula
1 after eight seasons.
NASCAR
SUPER GT
2010
GT
BTCC
SUPER GT
NASCAR
2011
BTCC
2012
WEC
BTCC
DAKAR
2013
DAKAR
WEC
SUPER GT
Ref:130701M
Camry drivers amass nine wins during the NASCAR Sprint
Series season, including four apiece for Denny Hamlin and
Kyle Busch.
Kyle Busch wins the Nationwide Series (NNS) drivers’
championship with nine season wins and a record 5,682
points, with Joe Gibbs Racing and Toyota claiming the
owner’s and manufacturer’s titles for the second year in a
row.
Toyota wins its fourth consecutive manufacturer’s
championship in the Craftsman Truck Series, with Tundra
amassing a record 14 victories during the season.
Lexus achieves a clean sweep of driver and manufacturer
titles in both the GT 500 and GT 300 classes with the SC 430
and IS 350.
Gazoo Racing LFA wins SP8 (near-production) class in the
Nürburgring 24 Hours.
James Thompson demonstrates a “”Next Generation
Touring Car” based on the Toyota Avensis at the final round
of the British Touring Car Championship at Brands Hatch.
Hasemi Motorsport wins the team championship in the
Super GT GT300 class in Japan, campaigning a Lexus IS 350.
Toyota claims the manufacturer honours for the third eyar
running in the Nationwide Series.
Toyota wins its fifth consecutive manufacturer’s
championship in the Camping World Truck Series. Todd
Bodine wins four races on his way to taking the champion
driver’s title.
The NGTC Avensis is entered in the 2011 British Touring Car
Championship for independent teams Dynojet Racing and
Hughes Motorsport, driven by Frank Wrathall and Tony
Hughes respectively.
Toyota returns to the top level of international sports car
racing, entering the FIA World Endurance Championship
with the hybrid power TS030. Toyota Racing goes on to win
the races at Sao Paulo, Fuji and Shanghai. Toyota’s return
to Le Mans ends in disappointment with both cars sidelined
from the race.
Frank Wrathall clinches the Toyota Avensis’s first BTCC
victory, winning the final round of the 2012 season at
Brands Hatch.
The Toyota Imperial SA team celebrates a successful first
challenge on the Dakar Rally with its three Hilux entries
finishing 3rd, 6th and 11th.
Giniel de Villiers and Dirk von Zitzewitz take second place
overall in this year’s Dakar rally in their Toyota Imperial
Hilux.
The TS030 equals Toyota’s best result at Le Mans, finishing
second and fourth.
Toyota hybrid power wins a top-flight motor race for the
first time, with the Prius GT taking victory in the GT 300
class of the Super GT meeting at Fuji in June.