E-sports enthusiasts from around the world will compete over seven rounds to qualify for a spot in the finals, held alongside the Gran Turismo World Series this December
TOYOTA GAZOO Racing (TGR) has unveiled details of the TOYOTA GAZOO Racing GT CUP (TGR GT Cup) 2024, an innovative global e-sports tournament which sees the TGR lineup participate in a series of competitive races throughout the season. Seven qualifying rounds will take place in ‘Gran Turismo 7’ for PlayStation®5 and PlayStation®4, with the top 24 global players set to qualify for the grand final to be held in conjunction with the Gran Turismo World Series in December.
Now in its sixth year, the TGR GT Cup offers players around the world the chance to showcase and refine their virtual racing skills and represent their country on the world gaming stage. Organized by TGR, Toyota's dedicated division for high-performance vehicles and motorsports, the online tournament adapts to the ever-evolving realm of e-sports and virtual motorsport globally. Its objective is to maximize its e-sports and facilitate widespread access to the excitement of virtual racing events, attracting enthusiasts from diverse backgrounds, whether novices or seasoned motorsports fans.
This season, the final qualifying round will bring together vehicles from Subaru Corporation (SUBARU), Nissan Motor Corporation, Honda Racing Corporation, and Mazda Motor Corporation, partners in the Super Taikyu Waigaya Club from the Super Taikyu series, thus promoting real motorsports and e-motorsports at the same time. Furthermore, Toyota and Lexus brand vehicles will also be used in addition to the existing GR lineup.
The qualifying round will kick-off with the Virtual GR86/BRZ Cup alongside round partner SUBARU. Round 2 will feature a race with HEVs, one of the diverse green transportation options offered as part of Toyota’s multi-pathway approach to achieving carbon neutrality. The Toyota Prius, the world's first mass-produced HEV and a driving force behind their global popularization, will also make its first appearance in this competition. Round 7 will bring together a variety of vehicles beyond the boundaries of manufacturers, including TGR’s LEXUS RC F GT3, which is making its first appearance in the LMGT3 class of the FIA World Endurance Championship.
Every user who enters the event will receive an in-game GR010 Hybrid Electric Hypercar with the 2024 matte black color scheme, which represents TGR’s drive for victory and its continuous efforts to make ever-better cars that constantly evolve through global motorsports participation. Continuing from last year, the structure of the competition will use a league system according to the skill level of the drivers in order to make it easy for everyone, even beginners, to participate. The top-level GT1 League will be followed by two leagues: GT2 and GT3.
Nobuyuki Takemura, Chief Representative of Middle East & Central Asia Representative Office, Toyota Motor Corporation, commented: “The TOYOTA GAZOO Racing GT CUP is an innovative platform that once again brings together the world’s gaming elite in a true showcase of skill, talent and determination. We look forward to another exciting season that will bring greater attention to the potential of this gaming genre. Toyota remains dedicated to actively participating in e-Motorsports activities, fostering broader engagement across nations and generations, ensuring that the joy of motorsports transcends traditional boundaries. Thank you to our customers, loyal fans, and enthusiastic TGR GT Cup participants for helping make this year’s edition a reality.”
The TGR GT Cup 2024 will run from April to December 2024. The outline of the competition for participants aged 17 or younger is set to be announced at a later date. Detailed information including the circuits to be used in each round will be published on the TGR GT Cup section of the TGR official website.
For further information, please visit: toyotagazooracing.com/e-motorsports
Qualifying Round Details
Round |
Date |
Car |
Course |
|
Qualifying |
Rd.1 |
28-Apr |
GR86 RZ '21 Subaru BRZ S '21 |
Suzuka Circuit |
Rd.2 |
12-May |
Prius G '09 |
WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca |
|
Rd.3 |
9-Jun |
GR010 HYBRID '21 |
24 Heures du Mans Racing circuit |
|
Rd.4 |
30-Jun |
GR Supra Race Car '19 MAZDA3 Gr.4 Subaru WRX Gr.4 (Gr.4 Select) |
Nürburgring GP |
|
Rd.5 |
14-Jul |
SF23 Super Formula / Honda SF23 Super Formula / Toyota |
Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya GP layout |
|
SF23 Super Formula / Honda SF23 Super Formula / Toyota |
||||
SF23 Super Formula / Honda SF23 Super Formula / Toyota |
||||
Rd.6 |
11-Aug |
GR Yaris '20 |
Grand Valley South |
|
GR Yaris '20 |
||||
GR Yaris '20 |
||||
GR Yaris '20 |
||||
Rd.7 |
25-Aug |
Honda NSX Gr.3 Lexus RC F GT3 '17 MAZDA RX-VISION GT3 CONCEPT Nissan GT-R NISMO GT3 '18 Subaru BRZ GT300 '21 (Gr.3 Select) |
Fuji International Speedway |
Grand Final Details
Date |
December |
|
Location |
To be held offline in conjunction with the Gran Turismo World Series |
|
Race |
The race will be carried out inviting the top 24 drivers: 21 from among those achieving the highest three total scores in Rounds 1 – 7 of online races from the five regions specified by the Gran Turismo World Series, and 3 from the TGR allotment (regional finalists).*
|
|
Driver |
Region |
Number of selected drivers |
Europe, Middle East and Africa |
9 |
|
North America |
3 |
|
Central & South America |
3 |
|
Asia |
4 |
|
Oceania |
2 |
|
TGR allotment* |
3 |
|
Total |
24 |
*3 Drivers selected from TGR’s regional finals