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• Toyota Gazoo Racing SA revealed their car for the 2020 GTC season.
• The racing car is fitted with the new Corolla sedan's body.
• Toyota is hoping to redeem themselves after losing the championship in 2019.
• For more motoring stories, go to www.Wheels24.co.za
Toyota South Africa lifted the veil on their challenger in the 2020 Global Touring Car (GTC) championship. With teams readying for the first race of the season at Red Star Raceway in Delmas this weekend, the Toyota is keen to return to a track where they've had success in the past.
Michael van Rooyen, one of the team's drivers who got his first GTC win at the venue, said: "Red Star hosted an amazing race weekend at the end of last year. I was in contention for the title, but it slipped away at the last moment, despite bagging my first race win in the stunning GTC Toyota Corolla."
Toyota's 2020 GTC challenger (MotorPress)
Exciting racing expected
The team's 2020 challenger carries the all-new Toyota Corolla sedan's body shape but is vastly different to the car that competed in the 2019 season. Leading up to the start of the season, Van Rooyen and the team spend countless hours fine-tuning the car and making sure the mechanics are up to standard for the upcoming season.
Van Rooyen said: "We're looking forward to measuring our performance against the competition this weekend. There are several new cars in the field, and it is always exciting to see how everyone measures up. We are confident that our new car will be competitive from the start."
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Covid-19 has also put a hamper on the 2020 season and teams have been holding out to take on the new season. This weekend, when the season gets underway, the GTC drivers will compete in three heats on Saturday (15 September), but spectators are not allowed to attend the event.
Mandla Mdakane will also debut for the Toyota Gazoo Racing South Africa team and will drive a version of the GTC Toyota Corolla. Mdakane said: "Of course, nobody knew that it would be the end of September before we could go racing again. But now the time has come, and I cannot wait to strap into the Toyota Gazoo Racing SA car for my first race with the team."
This weekend's race meeting will start with several practice sessions on Friday, 25 September. Qualifying for the first race will take place on Saturday morning, with three race heats following during the day.
Toyota's 2020 GTC challenger (MotorPress)
Compiled by: Charlen Raymond
