Toyota's Akio Toyoda to lead Super Taikyu race series

MANILA: Current Toyota Chairman of the Board of Directors Akio Toyoda will assume a leading role in the Super Taikyu race series.

According to Toyota, the great-grandson of the brand’s founder will become Chairperson of the Super Taikyu Organization (STO), which will soon be restructured into the Super Taikyu Mirai Organization (STMO).

The restructuring and appointment of a new head means that Super Taikyu will keep its defining features, but also see some changes in the future.

Per Toyota, the new organizing body — to be led by Toyoda; STO Chief Executive Officer and incoming STMO Vice Chairperson Harumi Kuwayama; and incoming STMO Managing Director Toshiyuki Kato — plans to preserve the “flexible and accommodating” tradition of Super Taikyu.

Toyoda, who is no stranger to racing, described Super Taikyu as a village festival rather than a world fair. In village festivals, he said, “the participants take center stage.”

Also, cost sharing — a culture within the Super Taikyu series — will continue to be fostered by the new organization. Toyota explained that participants of the endurance events sometimes contribute to the pool of funds, pretty much like splitting a bill.

The new organizing body looks to maintain this degree of flexibility and “ensure there are no situations in which someone who has a car ready is unable to compete on the day.”

Further, Toyoda (who also goes by Morizo) noted that Kuwayama and the rest of the team that has sustained the series to date will be kept in the new organization. The incoming STMO Chairperson believes that their presence will “give reassurance to participants.”

As for the upcoming changes, Toyoda stated that STMO could build a route linking races in Asia, Japan, and then Europe — hinting at plans of holding Super Taikyu events outside of Japan and bringing the endurance motorsports series into the world stage.

Moreover, more carbon-neutral vehicles could be seen in Super Taikyu races.

Sometime in 2021, Super Taikyu added an ST-Q class to the series for manufacturer-developed, non-homologated special racing vehicles.

Under the said ST-Q class, Toyota entered a hydrogen-powered GR Corolla while Mazda fielded a modified Mazda2 that ran on biofuel. Further, Toyota and Subaru raced modified GR86 and BRZ race cars that used carbon-neutral synthetic fuel.

The addition of the ST-Q class sort of made Super Taikyu something of a testing ground for creating new decarbonization options.

“Many like-minded people are coming together and using this racing platform to drive the agile development of hydrogen engines and other technologies right before our eyes. I believe such efforts will help shape Japan’s future,” Toyoda commented.

STMO will take over the Super Taikyu race series next month.

Photos from Toyota

Also read:

All-new Toyota Land Cruiser 250 Series launches in Japan, gets limited First Edition models

Toyota PH rolls out promo for April

Toyota-backed Filipino athletes to compete at Olympic, Paralympic Paris 2024