Toyota Gazoo Racing Thailand Enters Hilux TRAVO in 2026 Cross-Country Rally
Toyota Gazoo Racing Thailand will field three Hilux TRAVO vehicles in the August 2026 Asia Cross Country Rally, a 2,200-kilometer test from Pattaya to Phitsanulok designed to showcase the truck's performance and gather real-world durability
TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Thailand and Toyota Motor Thailand are advancing their vision of "Making Ever-Better Motorsports-Bred Cars" by deploying three Hilux TRAVO vehicles in the Asia Cross Country Rally 2026 (AXCR 2026), scheduled for August 10–15, 2026, covering 2,200 kilometers from Pattaya to Phitsanulok. The initiative represents a collaboration between TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Thailand, Thai engineers from Toyota Motor Asia (Thailand), and TCD Asia, fielding six drivers and co-drivers alongside full engineering and service support to demonstrate the new Hilux TRAVO's capabilities on the demanding international cross-country rally circuit.
Nutthadej Sriniwet, Assistant to the Managing Director of Toyota Motor Thailand, emphasized that the company uses motorsports as a critical platform for developing vehicle technology and innovation. He noted that data gathered from competitive testing helps improve durability, performance, and quality of production vehicles. Toyota's racing team achieved 2nd and 5th place finishes in the T1D class at last year's AXCR 2025, and this year aims to prove the Hilux TRAVO's strength across diverse terrain including dust, mud, gravel, and steep inclines over the grueling 2,200-kilometer course.
The Hilux TRAVO has been specially developed and prepared to handle the varied conditions of the Asia Cross Country Rally, serving as a critical testing ground for engineers to gather real-world performance data. This year, TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Thailand will enter three Hilux TRAVO vehicles across two classes: in the T1D class, vehicles 102 (driven by Nueng-Mana Pornsirichierd with co-driver Ton-Kittisak Glimjanthorn) and 107 (driven by Chub-Nattapol Angruthananont with co-driver Tam-Thanyphut Minil); and in the T2A-D class, vehicle 130 (driven by Keng-Phurimasup Thinchanthorn with co-driver Lek-Prakay Namjai Thaharn). Team director Sutthipong Smitchart confirmed that drivers, co-drivers, engineers, and service teams are fully prepared to tackle every challenge and showcase the Hilux TRAVO's potential on the international rally stage.
