Toyota advertisement in Japanese daily newspaper. Photo = Reporter Shin Jeong-eun On the 25th, a rare Korean advertisement was published in about 10 major Japanese media outlets, including Nippon Keizai and Asahi Shimbun. Here is a full-page ad released by Toyota’s racing team, Gaju Racing. The announcement reads, “We sincerely congratulate Chairman Chung Eui-sun and Hyundai Motor Company. Toyota congratulated Hyundai Motor Company, which competed to win the 2024 World Rally Championship (WRC), which ended the previous day in Toyota City, Aichi Prefecture, Japan. It is known that Chairman Akio Toyoda, head of the Toyota Group, the world’s number 1 manufacturer, came up with the idea for the ad itself. In this year’s race, Hyundai Motors won the driver’s championship and Toyota won the manufacturer’s championship for the first time in history.
The print ad showed Chairman Toyoda and President Chung standing at the front, clenching their fists and shouting ‘fight’ with the Toyota Gazoo Racing Team and Hyundai World Rally Team players. Above the photo is written in Japanese, “It was fun to be able to compete for the championship in the last race of the WRC, Rally Japan,” and “Motorsports fans also enjoyed the rally. The phrase “We’ll have a good fight next year” was written.
During a private meeting held in Japan early this year, Chairman Chung and Chairman Toyoda became closer because of their common interest in motor sports. Chairman Chung described his relationship with Chairman Toyoda as “two people who are passionate about racing.” At the WRC awards ceremony held at the Toyota Stadium the day before, Chairman Chung and Chairman Toyoda were seen in a close relationship, congratulating each other and holding many conversations.
This is the second time the two have appeared together at an official event from the ‘Hyundai N x Toyota Gaju Racing Festival’ held at Yongin Speedway on the 27th of last month. The fact that two events were held together in one month is considered a testimony of the willingness of the two companies to cooperate. President Toyoda also showed amusement when meeting Korean reporters, saying, “I hope that Thierry Neuville of the Hyundai Motors team, who was crowned the driver’s champion, will write a lot of related articles them too.”
Some interpret that Toyota’s direct advertisement in Korean shows Hyundai Motor Company’s changed status in motor sports. Hyundai Motor Company announced its WRC challenge only in 2012, ahead of traditional car makers, and entered the first race in 2014. In 2019, six years after going entered the market, they won the overall championship in the manufacturer’s category for the first time in the history of the Korean team, and this year, they won the driver’s category championship for the first time in history.
The cooperative relationship between Hyundai Motor Company and Toyota is expected to grow stronger. The two presidents also officially announced that hydrogen vehicles will be the next area of cooperation, after motor sports and robotics. At the WRC site the day before, Chairman Toyoda said, “We will cooperate with Hyundai Motor Group in building infrastructure such as hydrogen,” and Chairman Chung also said, “We plan to cooperate to well together in the hydrogen sector.” The two companies are expected to create significant synergies when they merge. Toyota Group maintained its No. 1 position in the world by selling 5.16 million units in the first half of this year, while Hyundai Motor Group was in third place with 3.62 million units.
Toyota = Reporter Shin Jeong-eun newyearis@hankyung.com
2024-11-25 07:07:00
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**Beyond sportsmanship, how might Hyundai’s success in the WRC incentivize other manufacturers to invest in and innovate within motorsport?**
## World Today News: Toyota Congratulates Hyundai, Ushering in a New Era for Global Motorsport?
**Host:** Welcome to World Today News, where we delve into the biggest stories shaping our world. Today, we’re analyzing a surprising display of sportsmanship and potential future collaboration in the world of motorsport. Joining us are [Guest 1 Name], automotive industry analyst, and [Guest 2 Name], motorsport journalist.
**Section 1: A Gestures of Respect**
**Host:** Toyota recently made headlines by placing full-page advertisements congratulating Hyundai Motors on their historic WRC driver’s championship win in a number of major Japanese newspapers. [Guest 1], what do you make of this gesture? Does it signify a shift in the dynamic between these two automotive giants?
**Guest 1:**
**Host:** [Guest 2], what was the reaction from the motorsport community to this gesture? Does it reflect a growing mutual respect and camaraderie within the WRC?
**Guest 2:**
**Section 2: More Than Just Sportsmanship: The Rise of Hyundai**
**Host:** Hyundai’s victory marks a remarkable achievement, overtaking established players like Toyota in the WRC. [Guest 1], how does Hyundai’s rise impact the global motorsport landscape?
**Guest 1:**
**Host:** [Guest 2], what key factors have contributed to Hyundai’s rapid ascent in the WRC? Is this a sustainable trajectory, or will they face greater challenges in the future?
**Guest 2:**
**Section 3: A Future of Collaboration? Hydrogen and Beyond**
**Host:** Beyond congratulatory ads, both Hyundai and Toyota leaders have expressed a desire for further cooperation, with a focus on hydrogen technology. [Guest 1], how impactful could this partnership be, considering both companies’ strengths?
**Guest 1:**
**Host:** [Guest 2], what are the potential implications of this collaboration not just for hydrogen development but also for the broader automotive industry? Could we see a new era of automotive innovation fueled by this partnership?
**Guest 2:**
**Host:** Thank you both for sharing your insights on this fascinating development. It seems Toyota’s congratulatory ad may be the first step towards a closer, more collaborative future between these two titans of the automotive world, with profound implications for motorsport and beyond.
**(End of Interview)**
