TOYOTA GAZOO Racing (TGR) has launched a special Le Mans section(1) within its official website ahead of the 100th anniversary of the Le Mans 24 Hours, to be held in France on June 10-11.
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Striking new visuals depicting the Toyota GR010 HYBRID #7 and #8 cars were unveiled, as well as commemorative photos of the team’s five Le Mans-winning cars from 2018-2022, which were united for the first time at the Circuit de la Sarthe. Information about events to be held during race week was also published.
1. Major events before and during the race week
Earlier this week, at the invitation of the Automobile Club de l’Ouest (ACO), a unique group of historic Le Mans-winning cars were assembled for the first time at the site of the race, which is celebrating its 100th anniversary(2). TGR has been storing and exhibiting its Le Mans-winning race cars in their original condition at the team’s Cologne base, TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Europe(3), and within Toyota Motor Corporation(4) in Japan, while the 2020 winner, a TS050 HYBRID, was permanently loaned to the Le Mans 24 Hours Museum(5) in 2021. These cars will be displayed at the Museum from June 1 to July 2. In addition, the 2018 and 2022 winning cars will be driven by two winning drivers, Alex Wurz(6) and Kazuki Nakajima(7), respectively, alongside other historic cars in the Centenary Parade around the 13.626km Circuit de la Sarthe on June 10.
Prior to the race, a demonstration run of the hydrogen-engine “ORC ROOKIE GR Corolla H2 concept” vehicle with which ROOKIE Racing participated in the Super Taikyu Series as part of activities to make ever-better motorsport-bred cars, will take place at 12:20 on June 10 at the circuit to promote the potential of hydrogen engines as an option to achieve carbon neutrality.
2. Exhibitions at the Centenary Village and ACO fan zone―introducing efforts to realize a Carbon Neutral society in Japan
During the race week, exhibitions will be held at the Centenary Village and ACO fan zone within the Circuit de la Sarthe to look back on the history of the Le Mans 24 Hours, where Toyota has honed and refined its vehicle technologies through competition with rival teams, and to introduce the various challenges for future realization of a carbon neutral society.
In particular, together with the Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) and Mazda Motor Corporation, the first Japanese automaker to win Le Mans in 1991, TGR will hold a themed exhibition to promote tourism to Japan and introduce its technological development efforts towards realizing a carbon neutral society in Japan. A concept car equipped with vehicle technologies that have been developed through numerous challenges in motorsports participation will be exhibited.
3. Live onboard video streaming
TGR will stream a live video feed from the onboard cameras on the GR010 HYBRID #7 and #8 cars on its official website during the Hyperpole session on June 8 and the race, which starts at 23:00 (Japan time) on Saturday, June 10.
In addition, during race week, news reports and other information will be distributed alongside TGR’s social media activities. TGR sincerely hopes fans and media will enjoy watching its battle to win the Le Mans 24 Hours for the sixth consecutive time in 2023, a significant milestone in the race’s centennial year.
URL: https://toyotagazooracing.com/wec/special/2023/24h-lemans/
4. e-Motorsports “TGR GT Cup” Round 3 to be held
The “TGR GT Cup” currently being held in Gran Turismo 7(8) will hold its third round on June 4 at the Circuit de la Sarthe, where the 24 Hours of Le Mans is held. Before the real race, please come and enjoy the race in the virtual world with GR010 HYBRID. If you enter the competition, you will receive a GR010 HYBRID Gran Turismo virtual car with the 2023 livery.
For detailed entry procedures and an outline of the event, please visit the following special website for the “TGR GT Cup 2023”.
URL https://toyotagazooracing.com/e-motorsports/join-entrant/2023/
(1) https://toyotagazooracing.com/wec/special/2023/24h-lemans/
(2) Please refer to the TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Europe press release for more details.
https://tgr-europe-newsroom.com/blog/wec/artikel/le-mans-winners-united-for-the-first-time-2/text
(3) Home of the 2018 winning vehicle TS050 HYBRID and the 2021 winning vehicle GR010 HYBRID
(4) Home of the 2019 winning vehicle TS050 HYBRID and the 2022 winning vehicle GR010 HYBRID
(5) https://toyotagazooracing.com/wec/release/2021/0818-01/
(6) The youngest-ever winner who spearheaded Toyota’s return in 2012, remaining a key team member even after he retired from racing.
(7) Now Vice Chairman of TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Europe, he was the first Japanese pole position winner (in 2014) and the only Japanese to win three times (2018, 2019, 2020).
(8) Gran Turismo 7 TM & 2023 Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc. Developed by Polyphony Digital Inc. “Gran Turismo” logos are registered trademarks or trademarks of Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc.
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