Is Lexus racing development real?
There is no official, active program named "Lexus Racing Development." Lexus' sanctioned racing activities are coordinated through established arms such as Toyota Gazoo Racing (GR), Toyota's TRD division, and the Lexus F performance line, rather than a separate unit with that exact name.
To understand why, it helps to map how Lexus and its parent company organize motorsport: branding, factory participation, and the difference between recognized divisions and rumor-driven labels. The following overview separates real, publicly acknowledged programs from myths that circulate online.
Official Lexus racing entities
These are the real channels through which Lexus engages in motorsport today. They represent the brand’s formal, publicly acknowledged efforts rather than an independent “Lexus Racing Development” group.
- Toyota Gazoo Racing (GR): The factory motorsport arm for Toyota (and, in branding, the racing activity around Lexus). GR handles major international programs, including endurance racing and GT variants, and collaborates with Lexus on race car development where branding overlaps.
- TRD (Toyota Racing Development): Toyota’s performance and race-support division, historically responsible for race parts, tuning, and customer-racing programs across Toyota's lineup. While TRD supports racing broadly, it is not a dedicated “Lexus Racing Development” unit.
- Lexus F (performance brand): The on-road performance sub-brand that underpins Lexus’ performance philosophy. While it informs track development and engineering ideas, it is not a standalone racing organization named LRD, and its involvement in racing is typically via GR/TRD programs and customer racing.
- Lexus RC F GT3/GT4 programs: The GT3/GT4 race cars built for customer teams, developed in partnership with Gazoo Racing and used in international GT championships. These programs are marketed under the GR/Lexus umbrella and are not an independent “LRD” entity.
In practical terms, these channels constitute Lexus’ official racing presence, with branding centered on Gazoo Racing and the broader Toyota performance ecosystem rather than a separate “Lexus Racing Development” organization.
Common myths about “Lexus Racing Development”
There are recurring questions and rumor-driven claims about a hidden or official “Lexus Racing Development” program. Below are typical myths and how they align with publicly known facts.
- Myth: LRD is a current, standalone Lexus factory division. Reality: There is no publicly documented or officially announced unit by this name operating as a separate factory program in today’s corporate structure.
- Myth: LRD builds or runs race cars for major World Championship events. Reality: Real Lexus racing efforts are conducted through Gazoo Racing (GR) and related divisions; race cars such as GT3/Racing models are developed under GR and Toyota’s broader motorsport programs.
- Myth: LRD is a historic, retired program still referenced in old brochures. Reality: If references to LRD appear, they are typically from older materials, non-official sources, or mislabeling and do not reflect current, active corporate naming.
- Myth: Any credible press release or official Lexus statement uses “Lexus Racing Development.” Reality: Credible sources from Lexus/Toyota consistently describe current racing activity through Gazoo Racing, TRD, and the Lexus F portfolio, without an active LRD label.
Overall, these myths do not hold up against current corporate branding and public communications. The real-world framework is clear: GR, TRD, and Lexus F drive Lexus’ motorsport efforts, not a separate “Lexus Racing Development” entity.
Summary
In short, there is no active or officially recognized program called “Lexus Racing Development.” Lexus’ racing activities are organized under Toyota Gazoo Racing, with support from TRD and the Lexus F performance division, plus specific race-car programs like the RC F GT3/GT4. If you encounter references to LRD, they are most likely outdated, mislabelled, or not part of the official corporate structure. The real story is one of integrated branding across Gazoo Racing and Toyota’s performance arms, not a distinct “Lexus Racing Development” unit.
Does Toyota racing development still exist?
As of June 2013 there are two official branches of TRD: TRD Japan (a.k.a. Toyota Technocraft) and TRD USA. Each of these branches has both a performance tuning division and a race (or competition) division. In 2018, TRD Japan and Toyota Modellista merged to form Toyota Customizing & Development Co., Ltd (TCD).
Is Lexus racing development a real thing?
LEXUS Racing
It started building the F sub-brand, then the LFA supercar, and then started road racing. In fact, Lexus started racing the RC-F in 2016 with a partnership with Paul Gentilozzi. After a few years, the same car moved over the Vasser Sullivan and started campaigning with them in IMSA.
Does Lexus allow you to build your own car?
You can't order/build your car from the factory but you can go sit down with a sales person and they can reserve you a car that's already been allocated to them and you can customize it that way.
Has Lexus won any races?
LEXUS ENDS THE WEC SEASON WITH VICTORY. Lexus brought the 2025 FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) season to a successful finish with victory in the hotly-contested LMGT3 category at the 8 Hours of Bahrain.
