The Toyota GR Cup, a North American racing sequence held by Toyota Gazoo Racing, not too long ago announced it would begin awarding digital trophies and report driver performances on the Polygon blockchain.
Per a press launch, the brand new on-chain awards system will embody digital trophies for podium finishers (drivers who take first, second, or third place in a race). The ledger entries may even embody statistics in regards to the race and the drivers efficiency.
In response to Jack Irving, govt business director for Toyota Racing Growth (TRD), the purpose of this system is to place driver’s accomplishments on chain so followers can work together with them:
“Blockchain helps us hold a everlasting digital report of drivers’ achievements that they will share with their associates, household and followers. It additionally permits us to develop new alternatives to introduce race followers to our companions.”
Toyota’s Gazoo Racing league and the GR Cup have been designed as a fan-forward sequence of occasions. Very like the gameplay arc of most of the hottest present racing video video games, real-world GR Cup drivers all begin off with a inventory automobile (on this case, a Toyota GR86) that includes solely factory-available choices.
The motive force’s automobile is then despatched to a TRD storage — the time period “Gazoo” means “storage” — the place it’s fitted with official Toyota racing gear. This places every driver on equal footing when the race begins, as their {hardware} is standardized throughout the grid.
Toyota’s been concerned within the blockchain area since at the least 2016 when the corporate joined the R3 Consortium in a partnership to analysis and develop blockchain applied sciences. The corporate subsequently established its Toyota Blockchain Lab in 2019.
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It’s unclear presently whether or not followers will have the ability to immediately work together with digital trophies or if the corporate intends to mint any type of digital collectibles. TRD didn’t instantly return a request for remark.
In response to the press launch, drivers will have the ability to entry their earlier accomplishments “rapidly and simply” earlier than and after occasions. The following races within the sequence happen on the Massive Machine Music Metropolis Grand Prix in Nashville, Tennessee, August 4-6.
