Al-Futtaim Motors has deepened its commitment to motorsport in the United Arab Emirates with the launch of a new Motorsport Division dedicated to expanding their support and involvement in all forms of motorsports, both on- and off-road, as well as esports racing.
In addition to supporting motorsport, the new Al-Futtaim Motorsport Division will encompass the Toyota Gazoo Racing and Lexus F Performance brands in the UAE, both of which offer high-performance versions of some of the most popular models from each brand, such as the Toyota GR Supra, the Toyota Land Cruiser GR Sport, the Lexus RC F, Lexus GS F and the Legendary LFA, to name a few.
Globally Toyota has an illustrious motorsport history spanning five decades of successful participations in the World Rally Championship, Formula One, FIA Cross Country World Cup and the 24 Hours of Le Mans. From the championship-winning Toyota Yaris GR WRC to the Toyota Hilux that has enjoyed huge success in the Dakar Rally, Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge and the Dubai International Baja, Toyota vehicles have championed the spirit of motorsport at the highest level.
Also no stranger to competing at the highest levels, Lexus first entered the world of motorsport in 2002 at the historic Daytona 24-hour race, and from 2006 to 2008, its cars won three straight victories in the 24 Hours at Daytona. In the UAE, Lexus stepped in the world of motorsport when they built the first ever Lexus RC F drift car which made its global debut at Goodwood Festival of Speed in 2019, as well as launching the first Lexus F Club for F and F SPORT owners. Lexus has since competed successfully across a range of disciplines, from GT3 and GT4 series to endurance racing, hill climbs, off-road rallies, drifting and more.
The newly launched Al-Futtaim Motorsport division builds on this proud tradition by supporting the UAE’s motorsport community through partnerships with illustrious home-grown sporting events such as the UAE Autocross Challenge, the Dubai International Baja, and the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge, as well as developing motorsport talent through the Toyota Gazoo Racing Academy, a driver development programme which took place earlier this year.
Commenting on the launch of the new Al-Futtaim Motorsport Division, Jacques Brent, Managing Director at Al-Futtaim Toyota & Lexus, said: “Al-Futtaim Motors has always been deeply committed to motorsports in the Emirates, and this new division reinforces this commitment with a new team entirely dedicated to supporting and developing motorsports across the UAE. In a nation that is so passionate about motoring, the Toyota and Lexus brands have become an integral part of the motoring and off-roading culture of the UAE. The Al-Futtaim Motorsport division empowers us to further develop this culture and our historic ties with the UAE’s motoring communities, and engage and give back to them by developing and supporting local events and driving talent.”
Ensuring the success of the new division will be a dedicated team led by Alaa Tarawneh, Motorsport Manager at Al-Futtaim Toyota & Lexus, with a mission to spearhead Al-Futtaim’s drive to support motorsports in the Emirates and build awareness around the exceptional performance of Toyota GR and Lexus F Performance models.
The Al-Futtaim Motorsport Division’s calendar kicks off almost immediately with support for the UAE’s participation in the Toyota Gazoo Racing MENA Esports Cup, with the top two competitors qualifying to compete at the regional finals in Amman, Jordan, in October.
This will be followed by event partnerships with several motoring events in the UAE including the Dubai International Baja and the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge, with more to be announced soon. Further developing the UAE’s undiscovered driving talent will be the second edition of the Al-Futtaim Toyota Gazoo Racing Academy, also set to launch later this year.
The inaugural edition of the Al-Futtaim Toyota Gazoo Racing Academy was a huge success, with the different stages streamed to millions of viewers across the region on Shahid, the Arab world’s biggest digital streaming service, and Brandon Hancock was crowned as the winner and the Al-Futtaim Toyota Gazoo Racing Off-Road Ambassador for 2023.
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