Inside TGM's transformation from plucky independent to Toyota junior team

A look at how TGM Grand Prix morphed into KDDI TGMGP TGR-DC and what we can expect from newest addition to Toyota Super Formula roster... (Photos: JRP)

For the past two seasons, TGM Grand Prix has been a unique presence on the Super Formula grid. Honda-powered, but not truly Honda-affiliated, the Servus Japan-run team was responsible for more than its fair share of news headlines, which ranged from the misadventures of the fast-but-erratic Toshiki Oyu in 2023 to the ultimately ill-fated signing of Juju Noda and its flirtations with Daniil Kvyat last year.

At the heart of it all was the swashbuckling attitude of team owner Kazuhiro Ikeda, determined to do things his own way. But his vision of running a successful independent team in Super Formula unfortunately collided with harsh financial reality last year, as a major decline in performance meant the asking price for a TGM seat no longer matched what the market was willing to pay.

This could have been the end for the team that started life as an independent team as Team Goh in 2022 and, prior to that, played such a significant role in making Team Mugen the powerhouse squad it is today. Instead, a deal was struck with Toyota for TGM to be transformed into a new junior team: KDDI TGMGP TGR-DC.

Officially, the new team is co-operated by TOM’S and TGM, all overseen by none other than ‘Morizo’ (Akio Toyoda) himself. But the engineers and mechanics are all Servus employees, with TOM’S providing support in areas other than actual race operations, notably on the commercial side (it’s no coincidence that the title sponsor KDDI is a major backer of the TOM’S SUPER GT team, through its au brand).

Under Toyoda’s supervision, Tatsuya Kataoka has been installed as team director, with Kazuto Kotaka and Hibiki Taira making up the driver lineup for the team’s first season in its latest guise, the two TGR-DC members making the move from Kondo Racing and Team Impul respectively, while Seita Nonaka serves as the reserve driver.

“Last year, when I discussed with Morizo-san how we could make our young drivers grow further in the top category, he gave it a lot of thought, and the result was that this new team was created with Morizo-san supervising,” said Kataoka looking back on how the new team came to be formed during Super Formula’s media day.