Race before Christmas: Toyota hybrids in action at Thailand 10-hr endurance

Not even the Christmas season is getting in the way of Toyota's quest for carbon-neutral racing.

Toyota Motor Corporation has announced that it will be participating in the Idemitsu Super Endurance Southeast Asia Trophy 2023 (Thailand 10-hour Endurance Race) which will be held at the Chang International Circuit.

It will compete with a three-vehicle setup for Rookie Racing featuring the ORC Rookie GR86 CNF concept, a GR86 running on carbon-neutral fuel; the ORC Rookie GR Corolla H2 concept, a hydrogen-powered Corolla; and the CP Rookie PRIUS CNF-HEV GR concept, a newly added Prius HEV running on carbon-neutral fuel.

The new Prius competing in this year's race has been developed based on a production vehicle, marking the first time that Toyota has competed with a production Prius HEV.

On the other hand, the two vehicles (GR86 CNF, GR Corolla H2) also took part in last year's Thailand 25H Endurance Race, where Toyota took on the challenge of refining the vehicles in a different environment than Japan. This time, to expand the multi-pathway approach even further, Toyota is adding an HEV, which is one of the most effective options for achieving carbon neutrality in Asia and Thailand in particular, to its team setup.

The competing drivers consist of Japanese drivers Yasuhiro Ogura, Masahiro Sasaki, Tatsuya Kataoka, Hiroaki Ishiura, Kazuya Oshima, Naoya Gamo, Kenta Yamashita, Hibiki Taira, Keizo Kato, and Daisuke Toyoda. Thailand will also have Kachorn Chiaravanont - a member of the Executive Committee of Charoen Pokphand Group (CP), a partner working to achieve a carbon-neutral society in Thailand, and President of True Leasing Co., Ltd, who will be racing the Prius HEV.

Lastly, Chairman Akio Toyoda will be behind the wheel of one of the carbon-neutral race cars of Toyota using his pseudonym Morizo.

The Idemitsu Super Endurance Southeast Asia Trophy will be held from December 22 to 23, 2023.