WHAT IS GAZOO RACING?

INSIDE LOOK AT TOYOTA GR, THE “MEISTERS OF THE NURBURGRING"

- Tom Jervis [e-mail]

Given just how much it has achieved, it's hard to believe that GR was founded less than 20 years ago. We visit the team's HQ to see what's behind its meteoric rise

GAZOO might sound as if it comes straight from the Black Lace songbook, but in fact it's Toyota's performance brand, which has gone from zero to hero in just under a decade, securing wins on both road and track.

What is it, though, what makes it special, and why does it have such a strange-sounding name? To find out, we got behind the wheel of arguably Gazoo's finest creation, the GR Yaris, and headed to the firm's headquarters in Cologne, Germany, for an exclusive tour of its development facilities and historic racing museum.

WHAT IS GAZOO RACING?

PRODUCING cars for both keen drivers and the upper echelons of motorsport, Gazoo Racing is Toyota's motorsport division. However, those familiar with the manufacturer's history will know that it's not the only one, nor is it the first.

GR was founded in 2007, and Toyota's previous racing and road car achievements can be attributed to both Toyota Motorsport GmbH (TMG) and Toyota Racing Development (TRD) respectively, both formed years earlier.

With Toyota having already secured victories in rallying through the Celica and Corolla, plus strong finishes in sportscar racing (including Le Mans) with the GT-One, Gazoo Racing arrived at a time when TMG was struggling with its entry into Formula One; Toyota was bleeding cash and off the leading pace, despite having drivers of the calibre of Ralf Schumacher and Timo Glock.