Toyota Gazoo Racing SA’s new Kyalami headquarters unveiled

Toyota Gazoo Racing SA (TGRSA), the motorsport wing of the Japanese brand together with Shameer Variawa Racing (SVR), unveiled their new motorsport operations base: the Toyota Gazoo Racing Motorsport Hub in Kyalami, Gauteng.

Construction of the 12,500m² facility began in October 2024, with the express goal of creating a world-class hub dedicated to high-performance motorsport engineering, manufacturing and development.

The Rally-Raid Hub will serve as the new home of TGRSA, housing the team’s race vehicles and technical departments under one multilevel roof. It includes a dedicated engine room, damper laboratory, in-house dyno, an extensively upgraded fabrication division and a machine shop equipped with precision component production tools.

The space is sufficient to prepare up to 20 race cars at once, compared to only six at the team’s previous base. Every workshop and support area has been designed to optimise efficiency, workflow and quality control, including a state-of-the-art parts store complete with a custom-built software system to manage inventory and logistics, servicing not only TGRSA, but many teams around the world.

Previously outsourced services have been brought in-house to enable efficiency and reduce turnaround times to continue to elevate the performance, durability, and reliability of the GR Hilux EVO Dakar racing platform built there.

“Toyota and SVR had the vision to open a world-class hub for motorsport fabrication which would showcase our collective ability and excellence. We sat down and sketched what we wanted the new SVR hub to become, and I’m incredibly proud of the product that stands before us today,” said Shameer Variawa, team principal of TGRSA.

Glenn Crompton, VP of marketing at Toyota SA Motors, said: “The opening of the new SVR Motorsport Hub represents the third chapter for Toyota’s motorsport exploits and TGRSA. Shameer, with support from the entire SVR team, has transitioned from privateer driver to team principal, to world-class Rally-Raid facility operator.

“It is the undeniable passion for the sport that drives them to strive for excellence in everything they do. From a TGRSA perspective, we couldn’t have asked for a better partner. This is the beginning of an exciting journey for us all, and I’m confident together we’ll reach even greater heights.”