Sponsors keep GR Cup wheels rolling

There's an old saying that if you want to become a millionaire driving race cars, you should start a billionaire because racing is expensive. Racing anything costs what it always has: everything. There are precious few individuals who can finance a racing program out of their own pockets, and that’s where sponsorship comes in. Sponsors are the lifeblood of racing. They help drivers and teams get to the track and hopefully win a championship.

Related: Lawrence Minnie representing AutoTrader in 2025 GR Cup!

These brave souls have enough confidence in the person piloting the vehicle that they are prepared to put their product or company name on it for the world to see, and therein lies the circular relationship. What does the sponsor get out of it? Well, racing vehicles are essentially mobile billboards, and if the series is broadcast on TV or published, it’s free advertising. In the GR Cup, it’s no different, but we have group sponsors that have committed to helping us get onto the track, so let’s look at who has bravely put their money and products out there for all to see.

New GR Zone open at Halfway Toyota Fourways

Toyota Financial Services

Toyota Financial Services (TFS) in South Africa is a subsidiary of the global Toyota Financial Services Corporation. It provides various financial products and services to individuals and businesses who purchase Toyota, Lexus, and Hino vehicles.

TFS offers a range of financing options designed to suit different customer needs. These include :

• Instalment Finance: This is a traditional financing method where you buy a vehicle and pay it off with regular monthly instalments over an agreed period (typically 12 to 72 months).⁴ To keep monthly costs down, you can choose a linked or fixed interest rate and structure the payments with or without a final "balloon" payment.⁵ Once all payments are made, you own the vehicle.⁶
• FutureDrive: This program offers more flexibility. After choosing a term and mileage limit, TFS guarantees your vehicle's future value (GFV). At the end of the term, you have three options:
• Renew: Trade in your car for a new one.
• Retain: Keep the vehicle by paying off or refinancing the GFV.
• Return: Take the vehicle back to a Toyota dealer, and TFS will settle the GFV, provided it is within the agreed mileage and fair wear and tear limits.
• Leasing: This option allows you to use a vehicle for an agreed period by paying a monthly fee.¹² Ownership can be transferred at the end of the lease if specified conditions are met.
• Corporate and Fleet Financing: TFS provides specialised solutions for businesses, including revolving and reducing credit facilities, to manage their vehicle fleets efficiently.

Key Features

• Application Process: You can apply for finance through a Finance and Insurance (F&I) Manager at any Toyota dealership. The process involves providing personal information and documents like your ID, driver's license, proof of residence, payslips, and bank statements.
• Online Account Management: Customers can manage their accounts 24/7 through the TFS online portal. This lets you download statements and tax certificates, request settlement quotes, and update your personal information.
• iContract: This secure, web-based platform allows you to digitally sign your finance contract, saving you from dealing with physical paperwork.
• Finance+: This is an online shop that allows existing customers to add the cost of vehicle-related products and services (like parts, accessories, service plans, and warranties) to their existing vehicle finance contract.²⁰
• MyToyota App: This mobile application provides a convenient way to manage your vehicle ownership experience, including tracking your finances.

For information on what TFS does, you can visit their website here:

Toyota Financial Services

Dunlop

Dunlop is a prominent and well-established tyre brand in South Africa, with a history spanning over 120 years. The Dunlop brand in South Africa is manufactured and distributed by Sumitomo Rubber South Africa (SRSA), a Japanese-listed company Sumitomo Rubber Industries (SRI) subsidiary.SRSA operates a state-of-the-art manufacturing plant in Ladysmith, KwaZulu-Natal, where it produces a wide range of Dunlop passenger and light truck tyres for the local market and export.

Control Tyre Supplier for Major Championships

Dunlop is the official and exclusive tyre partner for many of South Africa's premier circuit racing series. This means that all competitors in these championships race on Dunlop tyres, providing a level playing field and showcasing the performance and durability of the brand's products. This includes:

• South African Rally Championship: A significant development is that Dunlop has become the exclusive tyre supplier for the National Rally Championship. This move is seen as a game-changer for the sport in the country.⁴
• Global Touring Cars (GTC): The GTC is considered the top-tier circuit racing championship in South Africa. Dunlop has been its official tyre partner, supporting both the main GTC Championship and the GTC SupaCup.
• Polo Cup: This is a popular and highly competitive series known for developing young driving talent. Dunlop has had a long-standing partnership with the Polo Cup.
• Extreme SuperCars Driven by Dunlop: Dunlop is the title sponsor and tyre supplier for this high-octane series, which features some of the fastest premium vehicles in the world.
• Dunlop V8 Supercars: The brand is the title sponsor for this series, which features powerful V8 machines.
• GR Cup Series: The GR 86, GR Corolla, and GR Yaris-spec race cars all run Dunlop semi-slicks.

Beyond the major championships, Dunlop supports a wide range of other racing categories at the national and regional levels.

• BMW M Performance Parts Race Series: Dunlop provides its high-performance Direzza tyres for this series.
• Formula Vee: The brand is the official tyre partner for this long-running single-seater series.¹¹
• Backdraft Production Series: Dunlop supplies its Direzza tyres for this endurance racing series.
• National Hot Rod Tour: Dunlop is the tyre for this oval track racing series.
• iLamuna 24 Hours: Dunlop is the exclusive tyre supplier for this challenging endurance race, which tests the limits of both the cars and the tyres over a full day of racing.

Dunlop provides a dedicated ATS Motorsport Service Crew to support its various partnerships. This team operates from a mobile workshop and offers full trackside tyre service, including fitting, balancing, and expert advice, to all drivers competing on Dunlop tyres.¹³ This service is a key part of the brand's commitment to motorsport and is provided to competitors free of charge.

To find out more about Dunlop's activities, you can visit their website here:

Sumitomo Rubber South Africa

Garmin

Garmin has a significant presence in South Africa, catering to a wide range of markets with its GPS and connected technology products. Its Southern Africa head office is located in Rosebank, Johannesburg. The company also has a presence in Stellenbosch due to its acquisition of the local startup iKubu in 2015. iKubu created the innovative Backtracker, a radar tail light for cyclists, and the Stellenbosch office now serves as a development hub for Garmin.

Garmin's product portfolio in South Africa is extensive and is categorised into several key areas:

• Sports & Fitness: This is one of Garmin's most popular sectors. It includes a vast selection of smartwatches and fitness trackers designed for various activities, such as:
• Running: The Forerunner series offers GPS, heart rate tracking, and advanced training metrics.
• Multisport: Fēnix and Enduro series, known for their rugged design and extensive features for triathletes, adventurers, and outdoor enthusiasts.
• Cycling: Edge series of GPS bike computers, accessories, and the Tacx brand of indoor trainers.
• Golf: Approach Series of golf watches and handheld GPS devices with preloaded course maps.
• General Health & Wellness: Venu and vívo series smartwatches focus on tracking daily activity, health monitoring, and stylish design.
• Outdoor Recreation: This category is for adventurers and includes:
• Handheld GPS devices: Etrex and GPSMAP series for hiking, geocaching, and off-grid navigation.
• Satellite Communicators: inReach devices for two-way messaging and SOS functionality in areas with no cell coverage.
• Outdoor Watches: The Instinct and Tactix series are built to withstand tough conditions and offer specialised features for tactical use and outdoor activities.
• Automotive: Garmin provides GPS navigation systems for vehicles, including:
• Car navigation: Drive series.
• Motorcycle navigation: Zūmo series, which are built to be durable and weatherproof.
• Truck and RV navigation: Specialised devices with custom routing for larger vehicles.
• Dash Cams: Devices that record video while you drive.
• Marine: This segment is for boating and fishing enthusiasts and includes a wide array of electronics:
• Chartplotters & Fishfinders: ECHOMAP and GPSMAP series.
• Radar systems, autopilots, and transducers.
• Marine stereos and speakers.
• Aviation: Garmin is a leading provider of avionics and navigation systems for pilots and aircraft. While these products are generally sold through specialised channels, they form a significant part of the company's global offering.

Garmin's motorsport activities in South Africa are primarily focused on enthusiasts and professionals' use of their technology rather than large-scale title sponsorships of major national motorsport series. Their approach centres on providing tools that help drivers and riders improve their performance.

• Garmin Catalyst™ Driving Performance Optimiser: This is a key product for Garmin in the motorsport space. It's a "driving coach in a box" that provides real-time coaching and post-session analysis.² The device helps drivers improve their track performance by providing data on optimal lap times and suggesting where they can brake or apex more effectively.³ A notable feature for the local market is that the Catalyst has pre-loaded South African tracks, including Kyalami, Dezzi, and Red Star. All the GR Cup media cars employ the Catalyst for our race video and telemetry, as well as the coaching software.

• Off-road & Motorsports GPS: Garmin offers rugged, all-terrain GPS sat navs like the Tread series, designed for off-grid expeditions and powersports.
• Motorcycle GPS: Their Zūmo series of GPS devices is built explicitly for motorcycles. They offer durability and weather resistance, essential for two-wheeled motorsport and adventure riding.

In essence, Garmin's motorsport strategy in South Africa is less about branding on a race car and more about being the go-to technology partner for drivers and riders who want to analyse their performance and "beat yesterday" on the track.

To see what Gramin has to offer, you can visit them here:

Garmin SA

We would like to thank all our series sponsors; without them, it would be very difficult to get out on track and do what we love. There are many more that haven't been mentioned here, but without you, there is no us, so thank you again!