Powering the Future of Driving: How DENSO Pushes Limits Through Motorsports

DENSO’s historical contribution to motorsports dates back to the 1960s, serving as a technical partner to top-tier teams, including Toyota Motor Corporation, and contributing to prestigious races such as Formula 1 and the World Endurance Championship.

Over the years, DENSO has leveraged its technological expertise to support a diverse array of racing cars by supplying essential components, including spark plugs, fuel injection systems, and radiators. As motorsports serve as the ultimate testing ground, DENSO’s engineering DNA is built on reliability and precision, allowing the company to enhance these attributes for use in real-world applications.

In 2017, a significant milestone for DENSO's innovative spirit was achieved when Toyota launched the Yaris WRC rally car in the World Rally Championship (WRC). While the car performed exceptionally well in low-temperature rallies, it faced challenges in high-temperature and high-altitude environments, such as Rally Mexico. A critical issue was engine overheating due to insufficient cooling efficiency.

Known as one of the fastest and most iconic events in the World Rally Championship calendar, the Secto Rally Finland takes place on the smooth gravel roads of Central Finland. This rally offers an excellent opportunity for drivers to refine their precise handling and quick reflexes while testing the reliability and performance of their vehicles, making it an invaluable assessment of both engineering excellence and endurance.

Thanks to the high performance of DENSO's radiators and radiator fans, covering part of the heat exchanger in the cool climate of Rally Finland can reduce the vehicle's air resistance and enhance its aerodynamic performance.

Now, with the upcoming rally challenge ahead, DENSO is once again stepping up to prove what its people and technologies are capable of. This rally isn’t just a competition. It's a culmination of preparation, partnership, and passion.

Let’s hear directly from the drivers and technical lead on what it takes to face the stages and what drives them forward.

Having lived in Finland for several years during his path to the top, this rally feels personal to him. Katsuta highlights the importance of preparation and thanks DENSO for its continued technical support,

“It’s essential to work closely with the team during setup and to adapt your driving style to the conditions. Trusting your pace notes allows you to take the fastest lines and avoid mistakes that could damage the car. In the WRC, we drive in extreme conditions, from Sardinia’s heat to Greece’s gravel. DENSO has done an excellent job optimizing our cooling systems so we can run at full power. I’m grateful to everyone at DENSO for their support in building ever-better rally cars.”

“It’s the fastest rally on the calendar. At those speeds, you need a stable car you can fully trust, especially over the jumps and through corners. Even now, I’m still learning how to master it. And as we have seen, there is not much room to recover when something goes wrong.”

This season brought new challenges, like adapting to technical and regulatory changes that didn’t match his natural style. But thanks to strong collaboration with engineers, he is finding his rhythm again.

“DENSO has done an excellent job working with our team on the car's cooling system. The car performs reliably in all kinds of conditions, which is exactly what we need as rally drivers, so we can focus on what we do best – drive fast.”

No great rally team thrives without a solid technical backbone, and for Toyota Gazoo Racing, that’s Tom Fowler. Having been integral to the project since Toyota’s return to the WRC, he brings a wealth of experience from his successful tenures with other teams in the sport.

As Technical Director, he leads the divisions dedicated to designing and developing the team’s high-performance machines, such as the GR Yaris Rally1. Fowler highlights GR Yaris Rally1 as one of the most complex new rally cars in years, incorporating innovations such as hybrid systems and sustainable fuel sources.

“Reliability, performance, and drivability are our top priorities,” Fowler explains. "Cooling is another critical performance factor, especially in extreme races. If the engine runs hotter than intended, we lose power and risk reliability.”

He recalls how the collaboration between his team and DENSO turned early overheating issues into success stories, crediting the shared commitment to continuous improvement,

“We have been very pleased by the work done together with DENSO to improve the performance of the cooling system and keep our engines running strong. We appreciate everyone at DENSO for their continued support in developing ever better cars for our drivers.”

For DENSO, motorsports represent much more than just the excitement of competition. They act as a testing ground for future technologies, demonstrating the company's commitment to innovation and delivering robust solutions to the evolving demands of both the industry and society.

As the Secto Rally Finland approaches, we are proud to stand beside the Toyota team. This rally serves as a reminder of the necessity for technology to advance continually, becoming faster, smarter, and more focused on human needs.