Cologne, Germany,
22
March
2018
|
15:00
Europe/Amsterdam

Strong field for TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Trophy

The all-new TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Trophy will feature a healthy and competitive field across various race and rally events this season, with 13 participants from five different European countries signed up.

Although some competitors have already earned their first Trophy points, this weekend’s VLN race at the Nürburgring marks the big kick-off for the new competition, with the largest number of registered competitors choosing to race at the Nordschleife.

The TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Trophy exists to allow all GT86 race and rally cars from the TOYOTA Motorsport GmbH (TMG) to compete against each other in their respective series, without specific technical regulations and with no entry fee.

With the start of the German Rally Championship (DRM) and the DMSB Rallye Cup (DRC), the first participants have already earned important points. Hermann Gassner Jr is the early Trophy leader with 14 points after finishing sixth in a 17-car class in the Saarland-Pfalz Rally. Patrick Gengler took his GT86 CS-R3 to third at Rally Kempenich, but earned only 12 points due to fewer competitors in his class.

Their circuit racing opposition is now in the starting blocks, ready to earn points of their own. On Saturday, six Trophy participants will fight for points in the VLN in their GT86 CS-Cup and CS-V3 cars. Soon after, on 14 April, more participants will kick-off their campaign with the first round of the RCN Circuit Challenge.

 

Florian von Hasselbach, Senior Engineer Customer Motorsport: "All in all, most of the participants in our TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Trophy will gain their first points after the first rallies and with the start of the VLN season. They not only have to prevail against the opponents in the individual race and rally series, but also always keep an eye on the competitors in the Trophy. This unique feature of the Trophy promises to generate an exciting opening season. We look forward to the first results from the VLN and RCN and wish all our participants a successful start into the new motorsport season."

The final Trophy standings will be determined by the best 10 registered results from each competitor in 2018. The winning driver will earn €35,000 plus a Toyota C-HR road car, while second place will be rewarded with €25,000 and third takes home €20,000. With no deadline for entry, owners of TMG-developed GT86 cars can enter and compete for prizes at any time.

 

TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Trophy Competitors 2018:

“Brody” (Belgium), VLN

Adrian Brusius (Germany), RCN

Jacques Derenne (Belgium), VLN

Hermann Gassner Jr (Germany), DRM

Patrick Gengler (Luxembourg), various rallies

Charles Hutchinson (Great Britain), various rallies

Uwe Kleen (Germany), VLN

Harald Leppert (Germany), VLN

Alexander Müller (Germany), VLN

Olivier Muytjens (Belgium), VLN

Daniel Ostermann (Germany), RCN

Dominic Tranchet (Switzerland), VLN

Flurin Zimmermann (Switzerland), VLN & RCN

Copyright-free, high resolution images of the TMG’s motorsport activities are available for media use on www.toyota-motorsport-photos.com.

You can follow TMG on Facebook (www.facebook.com/ToyotaMotorsport), Twitter (@TMGOfficial) or Instagram (toyotamotorsportgmbh) as well as our website, www.racingbytmg.com.

 

TMG media contact: Evelyn Schostok, Communications Coordinator:

evelyn.schostok@toyota-motorsport.com

 

About TOYOTA Motorsport GmbH:

TOYOTA Motorsport GmbH (TMG) has been based in Cologne, Germany since 1979 and built its reputation in motorsport, beginning with two decades of FIA World Rally Championship success. TMG’s facilities and capabilities expanded significantly during its time in Formula 1 (2002-2009). Since the end of that era, TMG has combined works motorsport participation in the FIA World Endurance Championship with research and development support for TOYOTA Motor Corporation and a thriving business as a supplier of high-performance services to the automotive and motorsport sectors. Additionally, TMG has built a growing customer motorsport business covering activities in rally and circuit racing, with all activities inspired by TMG’s vision of Creating Excitement Through Team Spirit and Advanced Technology. www.racingbytmg.com