GT4 EVOs to run in NZ
Toyota Gazoo Racing NZ has added a crucial stepping stone on the international career path for young Kiwis by providing two GR Supra GT4 EVOs to run here.
The vehicles will complete a pathway that starts with the new Toyota 86 Trophy Series and goes through the new GR86 Championship. The best drivers will then have the chance to step aboard the ultra-successful EVO to further develop their skills.
Motorsport manager Nicolas Caillol says: “We know there is a huge amount of talented young racers in New Zealand and we believe this pathway could put them on the radar for the LMPh World Endurance Championship and GT3 programmes coming in 2025.
“It’s a well-trodden path for other manufacturers. We believe it can work for New Zealand. The GR Supra GT4 EVO has proved it is an excellent car for continuing driver development.”
The team running the vehicles will be confirmed soon, but the GR Supra GT4s will benefit from factory technical support and access to parts.
The news comes hot on the heels of the second trip to the ADAC GT4 Germany Championship for the best drivers in the Toyota 86.
Last year, Brock Gilchrist and Rylan Gray showed their skills at the Nürburgring, and this August it was the turn of 2024 champion Tom Bewley and William Exton.
Caillol says: “The performance of those drivers has convinced us GT4 is a natural progression. We want to support talent as much as we can all the way through to representing Toyota on the world stage and hopefully achieving great success.”
Bewley and Exton raced a GR Supra GT4 EVO in Germany, and both reckon the vehicle will go well on New Zealand’s unique selection of tracks.
“It’s really good under brakes,” says Bewley. “It’s going to be strong in that regard, and also keeping the tyre alive and being strong even when the tyre is past its best. On top of that, the controls are easy and, for the driver, it is a simple car, not too complex.”
“It’s definitely a cool car to drive,” adds Exton. “Around New Zealand, it would be very competitive in the GT4 class. Like Tom, I think it isn’t just fast and easy to drive, but the brakes are very good and that would give it some real advantages on our tracks.”
The next generation of GR Supra GT4 has already been announced with the EVO2 confirmed by Toyota Gazoo Racing. This will also be available from the start of 2025 to new customers in New Zealand. The two first-generation EVOs being imported will also be upgraded to the latest EVO2 specification.
“It’s great that another performance product from GR is going to be in the marketplace,” says Andrew Davis, Toyota NZ’s vice-president of Mobility.
“We like our performance cars to be fun to drive. Adding the GR Supra GT4 EVO into the mix in this popular NZ motorsport category takes that philosophy to the next level. It’s also an important step in the overall programme of extending the racing element of the GR brand to a wider customer base.”
Advancing its “driver-first car-making” approach for leveraging such insights into development, TGR will introduce the GR Supra GT4 EVO2, which features improved performance, reliability and operability, at the start of the 2025 season.
“TGR-E is always looking for new avenues to foster young talent and the pathways that TGRNZ have developed are world-class examples,” says Dane Berry, TGR-E customer motorsport.
“The last two years, we’ve had the pleasure to work with TGRNZ to bring talent over to Europe. Now we are excited to bring the GR Supra GT4 EVO to New Zealand and support the next generation of Kiwi drivers.
“The introduction of the EVO2 to New Zealand and Australia for 2025 is sure to leave an impression, and we are excited to work with our customer teams to put our cars on the top step of the podium on both sides of the Tasman.”
