Across the Atlantic, North America’s contribution to motor-racing culture has been just as significant. No track is more hallowed than Florida’s Daytona International Speedway, a celebrated venue of American racing that gave birth to NASCAR in 1948. A few years after its inception, affluent Americans began buying European-made sports cars in the 1950s and began capitalising on the empty Air Force fields, originally built for the Second World War, by creating race tracks to put their vehicles to the test. Even the first use of a pace car in automobile racing was in the US, at the inaugural Indy 500 in 1911. Over 100 years later, you won’t see a race without one.

In Europe, the passion for motorsports culture runs deeper still. Famous for its small-car production, around 14 million Europeans work in the automotive sector. Famously home to the 24 Hours of Le Mans, France has hosted over 61 F1 Grands Prix and 45 WRC rallies. Meanwhile, the German psyche is synonymous with a strong automotive culture and a deep appreciation for precision engineering, reflected in the popularity of high-performance vehicles. Behind the wheel, pluck drivers can also experience the famous Autobahn, where there are stretches of road with no speed limits. Germany’s passion for building “Autobahn-worthy” cars of exceptional quality see automakers vie to set benchmark lap times on the Nürburgring Nordschleife circuit in Germany.

Further south, Italy, considered one of the world’s most noted automobile centers, also creates cars rooted in the country’s rich driving history. With winding coastlines and an automotive culture that places emphasis on a passion for perfection, beauty, elegance, and high quality, Italy also hosts the world's oldest open-road race, the Targa Florio and the Mille Miglia, a legendary endurance race established in 1927.

In Japan, some 12,000km away from central Africa, automotive culture has enjoyed a similar blossoming. Initially celebrated for its functional, utilitarian vehicle culture, Japanese brands quickly gained fame for building high-octane performance vehicles and, by the 1960s, began turning heads not only on the racetrack, but in the luxury vehicle sector also. With high standards of quality being commonplace in Japan, each vehicle — from luxury vehicles to race-winning machines — has earned its place on the global stage.

In the southern hemisphere, Australia has a unique automotive culture that has been shaped by the country's geography, climate, and history. Due to the vast distances between cities and towns, cars have played a vital role in transportation, and Australians tend to have a love of large, powerful vehicles such as utes (utility vehicles) and SUVs. The country also has a strong tradition of car racing, with events such as the Bathurst 1000 and the Australian Grand Prix drawing large crowds. Additionally, there is a thriving car modification scene in Australia, with many enthusiasts customising their vehicles to suit their individual tastes and preferences.

Motorsports is a lab for developing cutting-edge technology—but it is also a remarkable hub for the customs, histories, and cultures of places with different social dynamics. The reason Lexus chooses to race a wide variety of circuits around the world is not simply to polish its technologies, but to also understand the lifestyles of many different people and places so they can provide lifestyle solutions that meet their unique needs.

In Europe, the Lexus LFA, LC, and RC F GT3 have participated in the traditional hill climb race at Goodwood Festival of Speed, creating a showcase for the brand’s engineering through the cars’ exciting engine sounds and performance. But the event has also allowed Lexus to meet and interact with carmakers and fans from around the world, giving the brand an opportunity to both learn from different car cultures and inform a diverse audience about Japan’s own car culture.

In Asia, where there is a rapidly growing interest in electric vehicles and luxury cars, Lexus has provided an LC, RC F and IS as a safety car for GT World Challenge Asia, one of the largest Asian sports car racing series. This was symbolic of Lexus’s contributions to enhancing safety during races—a necessary element for keeping both drivers and audiences passionate about motorsports.