YOKOHAMA announced today that it will supply its GEOLANDAR M/T G003 mud-terrain tyres for SUVs and pickup trucks to TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Indonesia for its participation in this year’s Asia Cross Country Rally (hereafter AXCR), Asia’s largest cross country rally, which is scheduled to be held during 11th – 17th August. TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Indonesia used GEOLANDAR M/T G003 tyres when it captured the overall championship at last year’s AXCR, and it is aiming for a second straight victory on GEOLANDAR tyres.
YOKOHAMA will supply its GEOLANDAR M/T G003 tyres for three TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Indonesia team Toyota Fortuner* SUVs. The three vehicles will be driven by Takuma Aoki, who finished fourth in 2022 and was the overall champion in 2023, Ikuo Hanawa, one of Japan’s top off-road race drivers, and Tubagus Adhi Moerinsyahdi, who finished 2nd in 2023. In addition to its support for TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Indonesia, YOKOHAMA will again be supporting a number of teams from various countries at this year’s AXCR. (*A popular frame-type SUV sold mostly in Asia)
YOKOHAMA’s GEOLANDAR M/T G003 tyres deliver superior performance on the full range of off-road surfaces over an exceptionally long lifespan. In addition, the tyre features a sturdy and aggressive design that enhances the off-road driving sensation. YOKOHAMA’s GEOLANDAR brand tyres, including the M/T G003, have demonstrated superior off-road performance in many races in recent years, including victories in three classes of the 2024 King of the Hammers, and the overall championship at the 2022 and 2023 AXCR events. YOKOHAMA looks forward to a third consecutive AXCR overall championship by a vehicle running on its GEOLANDAR tyres.
First held in 1996, AXCR is an FIA (Federation Internationale de l’Automobile) officially sanctioned race, similar to the Dakar Rally. In recent years, the AXCR has been run over a different course each year, with the starting line in Thailand and then passing through many Southeast Asian countries as it winds through a diverse range of terrains, from mountains and jungles to beaches and plantations, and even race circuits. This year’s rally will be staged completely in Thailand, starting in Surat Thani and finishing some 2,100kms away in Kanchanaburi.
The consumer tyre strategy in YOKOHAMA’s new three-year (2024–2026) medium-term management plan, Yokohama Transformation 2026 (YX2026), aims to maximize the sales ratios of high-value-added tyres by expanding sales of YOKOHAMA’s global flagship ADVAN brand, the GEOLANDAR brand of tyres for SUVs and pick-up trucks, winter tyres, and 18-inch and larger tyres. YOKOHAMA positions participation in motorsports activities as crucial to its effort to further strengthen the ADVAN and GEOLANDAR brands. YOKOHAMA therefore is again participating in a wide variety of motorsports events around the globe, from top-category to grassroots events.
