Toyota Gazoo Racing announce world rally and endurance team line-ups for 2024
Toyota Gazoo Racing (TGR) have announced their race entry structure for the 2024 World Championship season.
In the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC), TGR will continue to work with the drivers and co-drivers with whom it has built relationships of mutual trust to take on the challenge of securing the triple crown of Manufacturers’, Drivers’ and Co-drivers’ titles.
In the Hypercar category of the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC), Nyck de Vries will join the team as a new driver of car No7 for the 2024 season – a year which will see a number of new rivals joining the competition. Under the leadership of Team Principal Kamui Kobayashi, the team will aim to secure both the Drivers’ and Manufacturers’ double for a sixth year in succession.
TGR will continue their practice of making ever-better motorsports-bred cars and pursuing activities to enhance the appeal and sustainability of motorsports.
Major results in 2023
| FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) | Won the Manufacturers’, Drivers’ and Co-drivers’ Championships for a third year in succession ・Manufacturers’ title ・Drivers’ title (Kalle Rovanperä) ・Co-drivers’ title (Jonne Halttunen) |
| FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) | Won both the Manufacturers’ and Drivers’ Championships for a fifth year in succession ・Manufacturers’ Championship ・Drivers’ Championship (Sébastien Buemi / Brendon Hartley / Ryo Hirakawa) for the second year in succession |
2024 team for the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC)
Toyota Gazoo Racing World Rally Team are pleased to confirm their star-studded driver line-up for the 2024 FIA World Rally Championship season.
Kalle Rovanperä this year became the youngest winner of back-to-back WRC drivers’ titles, aged 23, and has signed a new multi-year contract with TGR-WRT. Following his remarkable rise to the top of the sport, Rovanperä will take part in a selected programme of rallies in 2024 alongside co-driver Jonne Halttunen. This will allow him some time away from the intense demands of competing for world championship titles and to enjoy driving across different disciplines including drifting, enhancing his skills and experience behind the wheel.
Eight-time world champion Sébastien Ogier achieved the last of his titles with TGR-WRT in 2020 and ’21 before stepping back from full-time competition. He remains a key player in the team, having claimed victories in Monte Carlo, Mexico and Kenya during 2023. He will again contest a partial programme together with co-driver Vincent Landais.
The team are also excited to continue their relationship with Elfyn Evans for further seasons. Since joining TGR-WRT, Evans has established himself as a regular championship contender, finishing runner-up three times in four years – including in 2023, when he scored rally wins in Croatia, Finland and Japan. Looking to build on the progress of this season, he and co-driver Scott Martin will enter 2024 with their sights set on competing for their first world championship titles.
Takamoto Katsuta will again form part of the team’s line-up and drive a full season in the GR Yaris Rally1 Hybrid with co-driver Aaron Johnston. A product of the Toyota Gazoo Racing WRC Challenge Program, Katsuta stepped up to join the team’s main line-up in 2023 and contributed to its manufacturers’ championship success with an excellent podium finish at Rally Finland.
| Team name | Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT (World Rally Team) |
| Chairman | Akio Toyoda |
| Team Principal | Jari-Matti Latvala (Finland) |
| Vehicle | GR Yaris Rally1 Hybrid (length 4207mm; width 1875mm) |
| Engine | GI4B |
| Tyres | Pirelli |
| Driver/Co-driver | |
| Driver | Elfyn Evans (UK) |
| Co-driver | Scott Martin (UK) |
| Driver | Sébastien Ogier (France) |
| Co-driver | Vincent Landais (France) |
| Driver | Kalle Rovanperä (Finland) |
| Co-driver | Jonne Halttunen (Finland) |
| Driver | Takamoto Katsuta (Japan) |
| Co-driver | Aaron Johnston (Ireland) |
Team quotes – FIA World Rally Championship
Jari-Matti Latvala (Team Principal): “We are very happy to be keeping our winning driver line-up together for the future. It’s great to know that we have such a strong squad of drivers who feel at home in our car and our team and want to continue working with us. Kalle’s programme will be a bit different in 2024 but the important thing for us is that he is a Toyota driver and he wants to stay with the team and keep enjoying his passion for rallying. Even though he is young, he has been driving rally cars at a serious level for a long time and he feels a part-campaign would be best for him now so that we can look forward to more full seasons together in the future. It’s also great that Seb continues with us, and it means that together with Kalle, we will have two multiple world champions as strong assets in our defence of the manufacturers’ championship. Elfyn has shown us again this year that he can win rallies and compete for championships, and we know he will give his best efforts in every rally. Taka proved at Rally Finland this year that he can be up there in the fastest rallies and hopefully we can see him as a contender for podiums in almost every rally next season.”
Kalle Rovanperä: “I am really excited to have signed a multi-year contract with TGR-WRT and to continue working with the team. Next year I am only going to be driving some of the events and the biggest reason for this is that I have been driving rally cars for 15 years already, which is quite a long time. While the last seasons have been amazing of course, they have also been really demanding mentally and physically. I felt that now would be a good moment to take a year for recharging the batteries, and then come back again full-time to fight for the championship once more with a full attack. I enjoy all kinds of motorsport and I’m looking forward to doing some drifting and maybe some other cool events as well as the rallies which we will be selecting next year.”
Elfyn Evans: “I’m looking forward to heading into what will be my fifth consecutive year with the team. We’ve had some great successes together over the last four years and I’m excited to continue that story with Toyota Gazoo Racing. I gelled with the team immediately when I joined and it feels very much like home now. The support from everyone to get me feeling comfortable in the GR Yaris Rally1 Hybrid has been great, and we’ve continued to make progress this year. I’m keen to build on that and be even better in 2024. We have a lot more to achieve together and I’m excited about the future. As always, the target will be to win, whether that’s in each rally or in the championship.”
Sébastien Ogier:“I am of course really happy to still be with Toyota Gazoo Racing for next year. The 2023 season has been good for me and more importantly for the team, and managing to clinch all three titles again is great. I’m looking forward to staying in this environment and to try to continue our success story together. I really like the relationship that I have with the whole team and for me there was never any doubt that I wanted to stay in TGR overalls. I also really enjoy the balance that this kind of partial programme gives me, and next season should be pretty similar in that respect. As long as the success is there for me and the team, I think we should try to carry on in a similar way.”
Takamoto Katsuta: “I’m excited to start a new season with TGR-WRT next year. I learned a lot this year: there were some rallies that were good for me and some that were not so good, but those have made me stronger and will hopefully help me in the future. Next year will be important to prove what I can do, and I will try to make it the best season of my career so far. A huge thank you to the team and everyone who has been supporting me. I’ve had a very good opportunity to gain step-by-step experience in rallying since joining the TGR WRC Challenge Program in 2015. Now I will try to make the next step to fight for better results and for podiums and victories.”
Driver cultivation: TGR WRC Challenge Program
The TGR WRC Challenge Program started in 2015, with the aim of developing professional rally drivers who can compete worldwide. Following in the footsteps of Takamoto Katsuta, the second generation of Hikaru Kogure and Yuki Yamamoto will continue the program in 2024 and compete in European rallies with Rally2 cars. The process to recruit a new intake of young drivers to the program is also underway and the final selection will take place in Finland in December. We expect the young drivers to develop strongly through the thorough training the team provide in Finland.
Hikaru Kogure: “I am very happy to be a part of the WRC Challenge Program again in 2024. Thanks to TGR, I have gained a lot of experience over the past two years in Finland. in a great environment where I can concentrate on rallying. Without the support of TGR, I would not have been able to learn and grow as much as I have. Stepping up to Rally2, things will be more challenging with more high-level drivers. I will keep up the hard work and the spirit of challenge that is also in the name of the program.”
Yuki Yamamoto: “I am honoured to have been given the opportunity to continue my challenge next year as a member of the TGR WRC Challenge Program. I appreciate all the people who support me and offer this wonderful environment. I have gained lots of experience in the rallies in Europe over the past two years, and I have learned a lot and grown a lot. The Rally2 category, in which I will challenge next year, is a very competitive class with many top drivers. This will be a very important year for me to grow as a driver at a higher level. I will do my best in each and every rally, with astrong heart.”
FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC)
In 2024, TGR will continue to race in the Hypercar category (LMH class), the top class of the WEC, with a two-vehicle team. They will compete with the GR010 Hybrid, fitted with Racing Hybrid technology that has been advanced during WEC competition. The team will be based at Toyota Gazoo Racing Europe GmbH (TGR-E) in Cologne, Germany.
The driver lineup will include Nyck de Vries as the new driver of car No7. Nyck was a test and reserve driver for the TGR WEC team from 2020-2022. Having continued to gain experience in a variety of categories, Nyck will rejoin the team as an even stronger driver.
José María López, who has competed in the WEC with Toyota Gazoo Racing since 2017, will switch from the Hypercar class from the 2024 season to compete in the WEC LMGT3 class with Team Akkodis ASP. This move is TGR’s support for Team Akkodis ASP, as part of helping customer motorsports achieve sustainability. He will be responsible for team and car development and will support young and “gentlemen” drivers.
The reserve driver will be Ritomo Miyata, who won both the Japanese Super Formula Championship (SF) and Super GT500 class in the 2023 season.
| Team name | Toyota Gazoo Racing | ||
| Team founder | Akio Toyoda | ||
| Team principal | Kamui Kobayashi | ||
| Vehicle | GR010 Hybrid (length 4,900mm; width 2,000mm; weight 1,040kg) | ||
| Engine | 3.5-litre V6 turbo | ||
| Tyres | Michelin Radial | ||
| Team | Vehicle | No. | Driver |
| Toyota Gazoo Racing | GR010 Hybrid | 7 | Mike Conway (UK) |
| Kamui Kobayashi (Japan) | |||
| Nyck de Vries (Netherland) | |||
| 8 | Sébastien Buemi (Switzerland) | ||
| Brendon Hartley (New Zealand) | |||
| Ryo Hirakawa (Japan) | |||
WEC team quotes
Kamui Kobayashi: “In motorsport, things are constantly evolving and it’s the same with driver line-ups. On car No7, Mike, José and I have driven together since 2017, which is a long time in any category. We enjoyed some amazing moments together, but also some tough times, particularly at Le Mans. I would like to thank José for his massive contribution, as a driver and a team-mate. He will always be a part of our Toyota Gazoo Racing family. At the same time, it is exciting to welcome Nyck back to the team. We know quick and consistent he is from his time as our Test and Reserve Driver and his other racing. Next season we will again have a top driver line-up in both cars. This will be important as we will be facing even more competitors in the Hypercar class. I am sure we will grow stronger together as a team over the winter, ready for the new challenge.”
Mike Conway: “I am looking forward to the new season, which should be even more intense and exciting. There are mixed emotions to be honest, because I have enjoyed six seasons working with José and we’ve had lots of good times together and lots of wins. We became more than team-mates; we became true friends and that’s something I cherish. But I am happy to welcome Nyck to the No7 car next season and looking forward to driving with him. He’s a top driver and a team player so I am sure we will work well together.”
Nyck de Vries: “I am super excited to be returning to endurance racing, especially with Toyota Gazoo Racing. Endurance racing is something I have always enjoyed and it is a discipline with incredible momentum at the moment. I was with the team in a different role for a few years but never had the chance to race, so it is great that the time has now arrived, and I want to thank the team for their continuous support and faith in me. I am very much looking forward to sharing car No7 with both Mike and Kamui. They are both very talented drivers who have achieved a lot, and I am sure we will make a great team.”
Sébastien Buemi: “I am extremely happy to come back to WEC next season with Toyota Gazoo Racing. We have been racing together since 2012, which is a long time for a driver to be with one team. It’s like a family to me and I feel privileged to be part of it. It’s great to again race alongside Ryo and Brendon. We won back-to-back championships together, plus a win and second place at Le Mans, so we have enjoyed some special moments. I hope we can continue to grow stronger, and succeed, together.”
Brendon Hartley: “It’s a great feeling to be continuing with Toyota Gazoo Racing going into what should be a really tough, exciting season in Hypercar. I am proud to be part of this team, and to drive alongside Sébastien and Ryo in the No8 car. We have grown so much together as a crew over the past years and enjoyed some incredible moments. Of course, we will give our all to win a hat-trick of World Championships together as well as the big one, Le Mans. With the new competitors coming to WEC next season, the task will be harder than ever but we’ll give it our all.”
Ryo Hirakawa: “I am excited to continue the challenge with Toyota Gazoo Racing in WEC in 2023, and I’m delighted to continue with Sébastien and Brendon. This will be my third season in the team, and my third driving alongside them in the No8, and so far it has been a very special experience. We won the drivers’ championship two years in a row, and won Le Mans in 2022, and I am sure there is more to come. Next season will be even more challenging than ever but I am really looking forward to fighting to defend our title and aim for victory at Le Mans.”
Driver cultivation (TGR WEC Challenge Program)
To realise a sustainable motorsports industry, the WEC Challenge Program aims to develop and produce drivers who can compete in the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) in the future.
Ritomo Miyata, who competed in the 2023 All-Japan Super Formula Championship (SF) and the Super GT500 class, winning both championships and becoming the youngest double champion at 24, will continue with the program this year.
Miyata will be a reserve driver for the TGR WEC team starting in the 2024 season and will also compete in the Formula 2 and European Le Mans Series.
The WEC Challenge Program Special Training for young, entry-level drivers will continue in 2024. This program aims to help young drivers experience the world’s most prestigious races, broaden their horizons by gaining experience overseas and produce world-class competitors.
Ritomo Miyata:” Being selected as a training driver for the WEC Challenge Program in 2023 has given me more opportunities to travel to Europe with the team and participate in Hypercar simulator tests with TGR-E. Everyone has been very supportive of my desire to race worldwide and I want to live up to their expectations. I want to continue to work with a sense of gratitude. I am also very honoured to have been chosen as a reserve driver for the TGR-WEC team. I’m thrilled that such an opportunity has come my way. I would like to thank Morizo (Akio Toyoda), President Sato, and everyone at TGR for giving me this opportunity, as well as everyone on the European team. I want to prepare well so that I can contribute to the team whenever and however I am asked to race.”
Kazuki Nakajima Vice Chairman, TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Europe: “This is a great opportunity for Miyata to gain experience in both formula and endurance racing and will open up many possibilities beyond that, depending on how hard he works. We must make this program open up various opportunities. I want to create a system that allows experienced drivers to give feedback to younger drivers, just as José will be driving in WEC GT3. I would also like to make this program a collaboration among various bases to create an environment where not only Japanese drivers but also many other drivers can challenge themselves.”
