Toyota Korea said Monday it has signed an official sponsorship agreement for the 2026 season of the O-NE Superrace Championship, the country’s largest motorsports series.
The company has served as an official Superrace sponsor for seven straight years since 2020, it said, as part of efforts to expand motorsports culture in South Korea.
Manabu Koyama, CEO of Toyota Korea, and Seokho Ma, the newly appointed CEO of Superrace, attended the signing ceremony along with officials from both sides.
Superrace renamed its top-tier category in the 2025 season, changing the official title from the “Super 6000 Class” to the “TOYOTA GAZOO Racing 6000 Class.”
Toyota Korea has participated since 2020 as a “cowl sponsor,” applying the exterior design of the GR Supra to Super 6000 race cars. Beginning in the 2025 season, it expanded its role to become the category’s naming sponsor, the company said.
Toyota Korea said it is pursuing a range of motorsports initiatives based on its global philosophy of building better cars through racing.
Along with backing the top professional series, it said it created the “Prius PHEV Class,” described as South Korea’s only plug-in hybrid one-make race, to broaden participation across professional and amateur racing.
The company also sponsors the Boryeong-AMC International Motor Festival run by Ajou Motor College, and operates programs including the “GR Racing Class” and the “GR Kids Superrace School.”
Starting in the 2026 season, the TOYOTA GAZOO Racing 6000 Class will shorten its final-race distance from 170 kilometers to about 100 kilometers, Superrace said, aiming for its fastest races yet.
The series will also abolish the “success weight” handicap system to emphasize head-to-head competition. The rule had added up to 50 kilograms based on results; its removal is expected to allow drivers to draw out maximum vehicle performance.
“As a brand with genuine commitment to motorsports, we are pleased to participate as a sponsor of the O-NE Superrace Championship for the seventh consecutive year,” Koyama said. He added that he hopes this season will vividly convey Toyota Gazoo Racing’s pursuit of “extreme challenge” and “driving fun” to customers in South Korea.
The 2026 Superrace Championship season is set to open April 18-19 with a double round at Yongin Everland Speedway. Organizers said they will try new combinations of culture and events to broaden motorsports’ appeal.
The third round will be held alongside the “Asia Motorsports Carnival” and the Park Music Festival, a major domestic music event.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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