TOYOTA GAZOO Racing to debut new Racing Australia team | CNN

TOYOTA GAZOO Racing to debut new Racing Australia team

2 minute read
Published 10:24 AM EST, Mon November 12, 2018
The 2018 World Rally Championships is approaching its finale. Here are the highlights from an action-packed season so far, which has taken in an array of jaw-dropping locations.
The 2018 World Rally Championships is approaching its finale. Here are the highlights from an action-packed season so far, which has taken in an array of jaw-dropping locations.
Massimo Bettiol/Getty Images Europe/Getty Images
The 2018 season started along the French Riviera. M-Sport Ford's Sébastien Ogier won the opening rally with his co-driver Julien Ingrassia. TOYOTA claimed both second and third place in the driver standings.
Monte-Carlo —
The 2018 season started along the French Riviera. M-Sport Ford's Sébastien Ogier won the opening rally with his co-driver Julien Ingrassia. TOYOTA claimed both second and third place in the driver standings.
Massimo Bettiol/Getty Images Europe/Getty Images
The tour rolled on to a snow-covered course in Sweden. French duo Thierry Neuville and Nicolas Gilsoul won their first rally of the season for Hyundai. Both drivers and manufacturer led their respective championships.
The tour rolled on to a snow-covered course in Sweden. French duo Thierry Neuville and Nicolas Gilsoul won their first rally of the season for Hyundai. Both drivers and manufacturer led their respective championships.
Massimo Bettiol/Getty Images Europe/Getty Images
TOYOTA started Rally Mexico just one point behind Hyundai in the manufacturer's standings. However, the Japanese team had a poor showing as M-Sport Ford's Ogier and co-driver Julien Ingrassia came in first.
Mexico —
TOYOTA started Rally Mexico just one point behind Hyundai in the manufacturer's standings. However, the Japanese team had a poor showing as M-Sport Ford's Ogier and co-driver Julien Ingrassia came in first.
Massimo Bettiol/Getty Images South America/Getty Images,
Corsica was the stunning location for the fourth rally of this season's championships. The French pairing of Ogier and Ingrassia secured back-to-back victories.
France —
Corsica was the stunning location for the fourth rally of this season's championships. The French pairing of Ogier and Ingrassia secured back-to-back victories.
Massimo Bettiol/Getty Images Europe/Getty Images
TOYOTA won their first rally of the season in the Argentine valleys. The Estonian duo of Ott Tänak and Martin Järveoja dominated much of the race to take victory.
Argentina —
TOYOTA won their first rally of the season in the Argentine valleys. The Estonian duo of Ott Tänak and Martin Järveoja dominated much of the race to take victory.
Massimo Bettiol/Getty Images South America/Getty Images
Hyundai's Neuville and Gilsoul secured their second rally win on a packed course in Portugal, extending their team's lead at the top of the standings.
Portugal —
Hyundai's Neuville and Gilsoul secured their second rally win on a packed course in Portugal, extending their team's lead at the top of the standings.
Octavio Passos/Getty Images Europe/Getty Images
The Belgian pair won consecutive races on the Sardinia coast as they started to run away with the driver's championship.
Italy —
The Belgian pair won consecutive races on the Sardinia coast as they started to run away with the driver's championship.
ANDREAS SOLARO/AFP/AFP/Getty Images
The rally marked a serious turning point for TOYOTA. They secured both first and third place, igniting a period of domination which would begin to rival Hyundai's grip.
Finland —
The rally marked a serious turning point for TOYOTA. They secured both first and third place, igniting a period of domination which would begin to rival Hyundai's grip.
MARKKU ULANDER/AFP/AFP/Getty Images
The familiar TOYOTA pairing of Tanak and Jarveoja secured their second successive win in Germany. The success saw TOYOTA leapfrog M-Sport Ford into second in the manufacturers' championship.
Germany —
The familiar TOYOTA pairing of Tanak and Jarveoja secured their second successive win in Germany. The success saw TOYOTA leapfrog M-Sport Ford into second in the manufacturers' championship.
Massimo Bettiol/Getty Images Europe/Getty Images
Things would only get better for TOYOTA in Turkey. Tanak and Jarveoja won their third straight rally.
Turkey —
Things would only get better for TOYOTA in Turkey. Tanak and Jarveoja won their third straight rally.
Massimo Bettiol/Getty Images Europe/Getty Images
The three victories saw Tanak and Jarveoja close the gap at the top of the driver's championship and gave TOYOTA the lead in the manufacturers' standings.
The three victories saw Tanak and Jarveoja close the gap at the top of the driver's championship and gave TOYOTA the lead in the manufacturers' standings.
OZAN KOSE/AFP/AFP/Getty Images
TOYOTA's period of domination came to an end on a new and improved route in Wales, where M-Sport Ford's Ogier and Ingrassia won their second rally of the season.
Wales —
TOYOTA's period of domination came to an end on a new and improved route in Wales, where M-Sport Ford's Ogier and Ingrassia won their second rally of the season.
Dan Mullan/Getty Images Europe/Getty Images
The penultimate race of the season saw the championship travel to Salou. Sebastien Loeb and co-driver Daniel Elena claimed Citroen's first win of the season.
Spain —
The penultimate race of the season saw the championship travel to Salou. Sebastien Loeb and co-driver Daniel Elena claimed Citroen's first win of the season.
Massimo Bettiol/Getty Images Europe/Getty Images
Australia will be the venue for the last race of the 2018 World Rally Championship. Defending world champions Ogier and Ingrassia lead the driver's standings with TOYOTA boasting a 12-point lead in the manafactuer's championship.
Australia —
Australia will be the venue for the last race of the 2018 World Rally Championship. Defending world champions Ogier and Ingrassia lead the driver's standings with TOYOTA boasting a 12-point lead in the manafactuer's championship.
Massimo Bettiol/Getty Images AsiaPac/Getty Images
2018 World Rally Championship: The season so far
CNN  — 

A Japanese motorsport institution is hoping to make waves in Australia, thanks to a talented pair of siblings.

Toyota GAZOO will debut its new Racing Australia team at this weekend’s Australian Rally Championship (ARC) season finale at Coffs Coast.

Harry Bates, currently second in the ARC standings after five rounds, will be behind the wheel alongside co-driver John McCarthy.

Toyota GAZOO Racing Australia will then officially enter the 2019 championship, with a second car to be driven by Bates’ brother, Lewis.

The duo’s father, legendary four-time ARC winner Neal Bates, will serve as team principle.

yaris WRC TOYOTA GAZOO racing jari-matti latvala rally team vision spt intl_00002807.jpg
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“Our long history with Toyota in Australia has been a great one for me personally with its support helping myself and Coral Taylor, my long-term co driver, to four Australian titles,” Neal Bates said.

“I am immensely proud that Harry and Lewis can continue our very strong partnership with the brand and we as a team have the opportunity to run under the Toyota GAZOO Racing banner that is growing across the globe.”

Harry Bates is in contention to win the 2018 ARC at Coffs Coast, sitting 57 points behind championship leader Eli Evans.

Toyota GAZOO Racing was launched in 2015 to join Toyota’s World Rally Championship (WRC) and World Endurance Championship (WEC) teams together.

Its WRC team has the chance to claim the title in the season finale, also hosted in Australia, with Estonian driver Ott Tanak in third place.

TOKYO, JAPAN - FEBRUARY 04: Tommi Makinen, head of Toyota Motor Corp.'s World Rally Championship (WRC) project, poses for a photograph during a press conference on February 4, 2016 in Tokyo, Japan. Toyota announced its motorsports plans for GAZOO Racing for the 2016 calendar year. (Photo by Tomohiro Ohsumi/Getty Images)
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“Toyota has always recognized the value of participating in motorsport as a means of developing ever more durable, reliable and exciting cars,” chief marketing officer Wayne Gabriel said.

“Australians have long had an enthusiastic appetite for motorsport and performance cars and we are committed to delivering the excitement they offer through initiatives like the new rally team we are launching today.

“Harry Bates is a very talented driver who comes from Australian rallying royalty with his father, Neal, having won four Australian titles driving his legendary Celica GT-Four in the 1990s and then the Corolla S2000 in 2008.”