Toyota revives GAZOO Racing name in motorsport push
GAZOO Racing returns: Toyota's back-to-basics motorsport plan
Toyota revives GAZOO Racing name in motorsport push
Toyota restores the GAZOO Racing name to focus on motorsport, WRC and customer racing, while Cologne's center becomes TOYOTA RACING focused on powertrain tech.
2026-01-08T03:37:27+03:00
2026-01-08T03:37:27+03:00
2026-01-08T03:37:27+03:00
Toyota has taken a symbolic yet telling step: TOYOTA GAZOO Racing is reverting to its original name, GAZOO Racing. The company frames the move as a return to foundational principles—building better cars through motorsport and cultivating people who can design and tune machinery in real competition.The GAZOO Racing story began in 2007, when Akio Toyoda joined colleagues at the 24 Hours of Nürburgring. Because it wasn’t an official factory effort, the team ran as Team GAZOO, and Toyoda raced under the pseudonym Morizo. Inside Toyota, that experience was described as both a humbling moment and a turning point: the brand sensed it could lose its culture of sports car engineering and chose to restore it through racing and development.Later, activities were unified under the TOYOTA GAZOO Racing umbrella. Now the name is being simplified again to spotlight substance over signage. GAZOO Racing will continue to compete in top-tier series such as the WRC and expand customer motorsport based on production models. The change reads less like a facelift and more like a renewed statement of intent.Meanwhile, the European center in Cologne will be renamed TOYOTA RACING, with a focus on powertrains and technologies. The TGRR team will remain in place as a bridge and hands-on school for drivers, engineers, and mechanics. The rollout of updated logos will happen in stages, with completion targeted by January 2027.
Toyota, GAZOO Racing, TOYOTA GAZOO Racing, TOYOTA RACING, rebrand, name change, motorsport, WRC, customer racing, Cologne, powertrain, racing development, Akio Toyoda, Morizo, logo update, 2027
2026
Michael Powers
news
GAZOO Racing returns: Toyota's back-to-basics motorsport plan
Toyota restores the GAZOO Racing name to focus on motorsport, WRC and customer racing, while Cologne's center becomes TOYOTA RACING focused on powertrain tech.
Michael Powers, Editor
Toyota has taken a symbolic yet telling step: TOYOTA GAZOO Racing is reverting to its original name, GAZOO Racing. The company frames the move as a return to foundational principles—building better cars through motorsport and cultivating people who can design and tune machinery in real competition.
The GAZOO Racing story began in 2007, when Akio Toyoda joined colleagues at the 24 Hours of Nürburgring. Because it wasn’t an official factory effort, the team ran as Team GAZOO, and Toyoda raced under the pseudonym Morizo. Inside Toyota, that experience was described as both a humbling moment and a turning point: the brand sensed it could lose its culture of sports car engineering and chose to restore it through racing and development.
Later, activities were unified under the TOYOTA GAZOO Racing umbrella. Now the name is being simplified again to spotlight substance over signage. GAZOO Racing will continue to compete in top-tier series such as the WRC and expand customer motorsport based on production models. The change reads less like a facelift and more like a renewed statement of intent.
Meanwhile, the European center in Cologne will be renamed TOYOTA RACING, with a focus on powertrains and technologies. The TGRR team will remain in place as a bridge and hands-on school for drivers, engineers, and mechanics. The rollout of updated logos will happen in stages, with completion targeted by January 2027.
