Famous faces joined Toyota motorsport stars at the Goodwood Festival of Speed to celebrate both current and future successes.
Toyota has demonstrated the breadth of technologies it develops in its multi-technology strategy to help achieve a carbon-neutral future at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, the annual celebration of motorsport that takes place over four days in the grounds of the historic Goodwood House, in Sussex (England), which concluded yesterday (July 14).
Its roster of circuit and rally competition cars at the festival has also made it clear how the experience and specialization it is accumulating in top-level international motorsport directly drives its commitment to creating increasingly better vehicles for its customers.
Rowan Atkinson, famous international film actor and automotive enthusiast, got behind the wheel of the first hydrogen-powered GR Yaris made in Europe at the Goodwood circuit.
David Richards, chairman of motorsport and advanced technology company Prodrive and national sports organization Motorsport UK, and the Duke of Richmond, owner of the Goodwood estate, were among the special guests who were able to view the car from the co-pilot seat.
TOYOTA GAZOO Racing (TGR-WRT) came in strong with eight-time world champion Sébastien Ogier, reigning champion Kalle Rovanperä and 2024 title contender Elfyn Evans.
The team presented both the GR YARIS Rally1 Hybrid and the Rally2 WRC, new for this season, and also tested the new GR Yaris, a sports road model developed with the direct participation of TGR-WRT and its professional drivers.
Team Principal Jari-Matti Latvala hosted the official handover of the keys to the two special edition versions of the new GR Yaris to Ogier and Rovanperä, with a special message from President of Toyota Motor Corporation and Master Driver Akio Toyoda (aka "Morizo"), who thanked them for their contribution to the championship.
Each of the drivers has participated directly in the special editions, of which only very limited numbers are manufactured, adapting the handling of the cars to their personal preferences.