Al-Futtaim Toyota Named Best Innovative Sports Brand

Al-Futtaim Toyota has been recognised for its outstanding achievements in the MENA region’s sports industry with the receipt of the Gold Award in the category of the Best Innovative Sports Brand of the Year award at the 10th annual Sports Industry Awards for 2023, a night that celebrated the best talent and efforts from across region in a glamorous gala ceremony at Atlantis, The Palm.

Chosen by a resounding public vote, the award was presented in recognition of the successful staging of the Toyota Motorsport Academy, a ground-breaking grassroots initiative from Al-Futtaim Toyota. The Academy brought together the UAE’s automotive and off-roading communities in a first-of-its-kind driver development programme designed to enhance their sporting skills and talent and give one participant a chance to become the 2023 Al-Futtaim Toyota Gazoo Racing Off-Road Ambassador for the UAE.

All the heart-racing excitement and passion of the Toyota Motorsport Academy is now streaming on Shahid as the region’s first homegrown motorsports reality TV series.

On the night, Al-Futtaim Toyota was nominated for two other awards in the Best Event and Sports Marketing Campaign categories.

Established in the Middle East in 2012, the Sports Industry Awards series is the official celebration of the leaders, decision-makers, organisations, facilities, and campaigns that have contributed to sports development in the Middle East.

Commenting on the occasion, Jacques Brent, Managing Director, Al-Futtaim Toyota & Lexus, said: “Al-Futtaim Toyota is deeply committed to supporting the sporting community and upholding the spirit of adventure, fair competition and the pursuit of excellence that is found in both amateur and professional sports events. We are therefore incredibly proud to receive the Best Innovative Sports Brand award, which recognises the incredible efforts the team at Al-Futtaim Toyota and their partners put into hosting this hugely successful first edition of the Toyota Motorsport Academy.”

Globally, Toyota has an illustrious sporting history spanning five decades of successful participation in the World Rally Championship, Formula One, FIA Cross Country World Cup and the 24 Hours of Le Mans. From the championship-winning Toyota Yaris GR WRC to the Toyota Hilux that has enjoyed massive success in the Dakar Rally, Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge and the Dubai Baja, Toyota vehicles have championed the spirit of motorsport at the highest level, both on and off the road.

Within the UAE, Al-Futtaim Toyota is committed to supporting the motorsports industry by sponsoring iconic homegrown sporting events, including the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge and the Dubai Baja.

January 2023 witnessed another exciting chapter in the motorsports heritage of Toyota with the launch of the UAE’s first Toyota Motorsport Academy, offering the off-roading community a chance to hone their skills and become serious contenders within the arena.

The programme initially received an incredible 1200 applications, shortlisted to the top 150 with participation from 13 different nationalities, with a strong showing from UAE nationals and women racers – a remarkable achievement for the first edition of the Academy.

UP IN NEWS