Visitors can enter the pit at Toyota Motorsport 2018 in Chiang Mai

Comprising  five legs to be held in Chiang Mai (May 19-20), Buri Ram (June 29-July 1 and October 26-28), Chon Buri (July 13-15) and Phuket (September 22-23), the event will feature motor racing as well as various entertainments aimed at attracting big crowds, including potential Toyota customers.

Visitors to the event will be greeted by the Live Alive Cafe featuring a collection of Toyota technologies, and have the chance to walk around the track and into the pit, allowing them to closely check out racing cars.

The racing events include one-make races for the Hilux Revo, Corolla Altis and Vios (with male and female categories).

At the end of the year, the top two drivers in the standings of the Corolla Altis event will be sponsored to participate in the Netz Cup at the Fuji Speedway in Japan, which is a Toyota Vitz one-make race.

There are currently 12 entries for the Revo, 14 for the Altis, 24 for the Vios and 13 for the Vios Lady, according to organisers TRD Thailand.

Michinobu Sugata, president of Toyota Motor Thailand Co Ltd, said Japanese car company has been involved in Thai motorsports since 1986.

Throughout 31 years, Toyota has taken an active part in advancing Thai motorsports in Thailand, and has been deeply committed to supporting this country’s motorsports in an attempt to develop the racers’ skills along with the automotive industry.

“This year, Toyota heralds a new era in motorsport activities in Thailand with the aim to deliver more excitement – both in the form of a professional racing series that participants are able to [watch] exceptional performances by Toyota vehicles, and [through] an array of enjoyable activities that allow higher engagement in our motorsports.”

This year Toyota is highlighting its C-HR model and will feature two activities at the Toyota Motorsports 2018 events. They include the Live Alive C-HR Show and C-HR Test Drive Run on Track, the latter allowing Toyota customers to experience riding in the circuits where the races are held.

Other attractions include the Hilux Revo Drift Show and the Toyota Team Thailand Show, with top drivers performing colourful stunts.

“Due to the tremendous success of the Toyota Motorsports project in Thailand, Toyota distributors in neighbouring Asian countries have started to duplicate our activities,” Sugata said. “For example, Toyota Motor Philippines initiated its Vios Cup One Make Race in 2014. On top of that, Malaysia staged a One Make Race just last year in the name of the Vios Challenge.”

Sugata said that in the near future, hybrid vehicles (such as the C-HR Hybrid) could make their entry into the Toyota Motorsport races.

Another important event for Toyota Thailand is Germany’s annual Nurburgring 24-hour race, to which it is sending a team of two Corolla Altis ESport cars to compete for the fifth consecutive year.