(MENAFN- Mid-East.Info) Al-Futtaim Toyota successfully completes screening and selection process to choose participants from a field of over 1200 applicants.
Dubai, UAE: The UAE's motorsport communities have responded
with great enthusiasm as the first phase of the Toyota Motorsport Academy kicked off.
From a field of over 1,200 applicants, 150 'off-road academics' have been selected by
Al-Futtaim Toyota to participate in this year's Toyota Motorsport Academy. Applicants to
the Academy were assessed through a scoring system based on parameters such as
driving experience in years, social participation in off-road activities (e.g., being part of
an off-road club), participating in competitive events, and others.
Commenting on the development, Jacques Brent, Managing Director, Al-Futtaim
Toyota & Lexus, said:“With so many promising drivers applying for the Toyota
Motorsport Academy 2023, it was a very difficult process narrowing down the field to
just 150 participants. However, we have now chosen a class boasting outstanding
driving talent to take part in this year's academy. We look forward to honing and
developing their skills in the coming weeks, with the ultimate goal of selecting the Al-
Futtaim Toyota Gazoo Racing Ambassador for 2023. Best of luck to the Toyota
Motorsport Academy's Class of 2023!”
The first session of the Recruitment Phase took place last Saturday, 28 th January, in
which participants were put through a series of gruelling off-road trials designed to test
their driving prowess.
The 150 participants selected for Toyota Motorsport Academy's 'Class of 2023'
represent over 42 different nationalities, with 21% of the class being UAE nationals.
There are more than 10 female participants from different nationalities, coming from a
professional and semi-professional background. The average age of the Class of 2023
is 33 years old.
In an interesting side note, which was in no way a deciding factor in the screening
process, the most common vehicle driven by applicants to the Academy was the Toyota
FJ Cruiser, which is testament to the fact that Toyota SUVs are the vehicle of choice for
the UAE's hard-core off-road communities.
The rest of the Recruitment Phase will take place in the coming weeks until the 25th
February 2023, when just 25 participants will be selected to progress to the
Development Phase of the programme.
About Al-Futtaim Toyota
Toyota, a Japanese automotive manufacturer founded in 1937, is the world's market leader in sales of hybrid electric vehicles. Toyota has been exclusively distributed in the UAE by Al-Futtaim Automotive, part of Al-Futtaim Group, for over six decades, and has been leading the sustainable mobility movement since 2008.
With a large line-up of vehicles ranging from SUV, compact, sedan, coupe, MPV and LCV, as well as a wide range of Hybrid options, Al-Futtaim Toyota is setting new benchmarks for clean motoring in an effort to actively contribute to a lower carbon footprint in the UAE. 2017 saw the introduction of the zero- emission hydrogen-powered Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle (FCEV) Toyota Mirai, in a pilot aiming at studying the possibilities of establishing a hydrogen-based, carbon-free society. Toyota's line-up features several hybrid vehicles including the sporty, practical and environmentally friendly RAV4, the C-HR, an innovative compact SUV, the seven-seater Highlander which is the brands biggest HEV to date, the powerful and efficient Corolla and the sleek and sophisticated Camry.
In September 2019, after a 17-year wait, Al-Futtaim Toyota launched the new 2020 Toyota GR Supra in the UAE, much to the delight of fans and loyalists across the country. With the all-new fifth-generation model, the legendary name returned to set the roads ablaze with a comeback only fitting of the Toyota Supra story, with the 2021 version launching a year later in October 2020. In August 2020 Al-Futtaim Toyota shook up the lifestyle pickup segment with the introduction of the all- new eighth-generation Toyota Hilux Adventure. This was the first time ever that the Hilux is available as a retail model in the UAE, meaning that it is no longer limited to dominating the commercial-use sector.
About Al-Futtaim Automotive
Al-Futtaim Automotive, one of the main five operating divisions within the UAE-based Al-Futtaim Group of companies, is a conglomerate of motoring-related businesses, franchising some of the world's most- recognized automotive brands and services.
Operating in 10 countries across the Middle East, Asia and Africa and empowered by around 9,000 associates, the UAE-headquartered Group's services span across distribution of new and used vehicles, manufacturing, leasing, and aftersales.
Ranging from passenger cars to SUVs, commercial vehicles, industrial and construction equipment as well as motorbikes and quads, Al-Futtaim Automotive Group offers an integrative customer-centric experience for motorists, fleet operators and contractors alike, and strives to become the leader in tailor- made mobility solutions.
About Al-Futtaim Group
Established in the 1930s as a trading business, Al-Futtaim Group today is one of the most diversified and progressive, privately held regional businesses headquartered in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Structured into five operating divisions; automotive, financial services, real estate, retail and health; employing more than 33,000 employees across more than 20 countries in the Middle East, Asia and Africa, we partner with over 200 of the world's most admired and innovative brands. Al-Futtaim Group's entrepreneurship and relentless customer focus enables the organisation to continue to grow and expand; responding to the changing needs of our customers within the societies in which we
operate.
By upholding our values of respect, excellence, collaboration, integrity, Al-Futtaim Group continues to enrich the lives and aspirations of our customers each and every day.