The No. 90 GR Supra, drivers and crew members.
GAZOO Racing participated with the GR Supra in the 24 Hours of Nürburgring in Germany for the first time recently, and performed well under challenging conditions to finish the race third in the SP8T class.
Toyota President Akio Toyoda, also known as MORIZO, was one of the four drivers to take the wheel of the No. 90 GR Supra during the 47th edition of the endurance race, which marked a highly significant anniversary for the GAZOO Racing team.
This year’s first qualifying session was affected by a sudden thunderstorm. The weather had cleared by the second session, yet high temperatures soon brought on severe conditions for both the vehicles and their drivers.
The No. 90 GR Supra started from 99th place on the grid among a total of 158 vehicles. MORIZO was the first driver for the GR Supra, and was followed by his team mates Masahiro Sasaki, Uwe Kleen, and Herwig Daenens.
The No. 90 GR Supra made a good start and gradually raised its position. However, the soaring temperatures had a negative impact on all of the vehicles, resulting in multiple collisions across the course. Thereafter, the race became one of survival. It was at this time that the GR Supra made contact with a competitor vehicle.
Fortunately, the team was able to continue, with the vehicle running smoothly into the following day.
The second day of the race took place on June 23, a date that is written in the history of GAZOO Racing.
Hiromu Naruse, the master driver of Toyota who co-launched GAZOO Racing and was MORIZO’s former driving instructor, passed away nine years ago on this date. At this year’s event, it became a special day for Toyoda and the GAZOO Racing team, as running with the new Supra had long been Toyoda’s dearest wish.
Toyoda, who was Vice President at the time, established GAZOO Racing with the goal of making ‘ever-better cars’ and started his driver training at the Nürburgring in 2001. However, the following year, production of the Supra was discontinued. This remained a source of great regret for Toyoda, who was determined to revive the Supra and refine it on the rigorous Nürburgring roads before launching it into the world.
Toyoda commented: “Our GAZOO Racing activities have continued through the great support of growing numbers of people to bring us to this point today. And as a matter of fact, this event has taken a central place in our continued activity of making ever-better cars and developing human resources.”
Over the years, Toyota has been participating in many different forms of motorsport, including Formula One, the World Endurance Championship (WEC), and the Nürburgring 24 Hours endurance race. Toyota’s participation in these events was overseen by separate entities within the company until April 2015, when Toyota established GAZOO Racing, to consolidate all of its motorsport activities under one in-house brand.
Race Notes:
• No. 90 GR TOYOTA Supra (Masahiro Sasaki, Uwe Kleen, Herwig Daenens, MORIZO)
Position: 3rd (SP8T class) No. of Laps: 137
