Ronco Scrivia (Genova, Italy), March 14th, 2024 - Racing Force Group is pleased to announce the strengthening of its partnership with Toyota Gazoo Racing Italy, that sees the OMP brand as the official supplier of racewear and car parts. Starting this season, the partnership also covers the Toyota Gazoo Racing Italy official program in the Italian Rally Championship (Campionato Italiano Assoluto Rally). Two-time European champion and four-time Italian rally champion Giandomenico Basso will be at wheel of the new GR Yaris Rally2.
OMP, that marked the fifty years milestone in the motorsport safety industry, provides Toyota Gazoo Racing Italy the winning experience gained in the FIA World Rally Championship as a partner of Toyota Gazoo Racing World Team, claiming the fourth Manufacturers' World Title in six years and the fifth consecutive Drivers' World Title in 2023.
The GR Yaris Rally2, which already made its international debut, is equipped with OMP HTE-ONE seats with carbon fiber shells, while Giandomenico Basso and his co-driver Lorenzo Granai will use OMP fireproof racewear and the state-of-the-art helmets from Bell Racing, another Racing Force Group brand, paired with Zeronoise audio communication systems. Toyota Gazoo Racing Italy is ready to start the 2024 campaign in the Italian Rally Championship as the Rally Il Ciocco will take place on March 15-16 on the roads of Tuscany.
As an official partner, OMP will also continue to support the GR Yaris Rally Cup one-make series, now in its fourth year. The trophy is contested with a fleet of cars equipped with a wide selection of OMP safety products: the HTE-Evo seats, derived from the experience gained in the WRC, harnesses, steering wheel and fire extinguisher, in addition to the supply of fireproof racewear items for the competitors and Toyota Gazoo Racing Italy mechanics. The 2024 GR Yaris Rally Cup will kick off on April 12-13 with the Rally Regione Piemonte, the first of five events on the calendar.
Luigi Rossi, Senior Marketing Manager of Racing Force Group, commented: "It's a great pleasure to continue and strengthen our partnership with Toyota Gazoo Racing Italy, supporting the team with OMP safety equipment in their new venture in the Italian Rally Championship and the GR Yaris Rally Cup. Our winning experience in WRC, both with racewear and car parts, is at the disposal of Toyota Motor Italia and its drivers to shine on the Italian national racing scene".
Tobia Cavallini, Team Principal of Toyota Gazoo Racing Italy, commented: "Renewing the partnership is a reason of great pride and satisfaction for us. Through the OMP brand, Racing Force Group has been the supplier of the Toyota Gazoo Racing World Rally Team for years, and to be able to use their experience and technology developed with the official World Rally Championship team is an additional opportunity for us. We are at the start of our fourth year of cooperation, and this season the GR Yaris Rally Cup is joined by the challenging program with the GR Yaris Rally2. I would like to thank Racing Force for their complete support to all Toyota Gazoo Racing Italy projects".