Toyota GAZOO Racing made a triumphant return to the Nürburgring 24-hour race in Germany after a six-year hiatus. Akio Toyoda, Chairman of Toyota Motor Corporation, demonstrated his prowess as the sole master driver, known by the moniker “MORIZO,” by personally taking the wheel.
The Nürburgring 24-hour race, which began on June 19 at the iconic Nürburgring circuit in Nürburg, Rhineland-Palatinate, concluded on June 22 at 4 PM. The main event, kicking off on June 21 at 4 PM, saw 134 vehicles engaged in intense competition over a full day of racing.
The Nürburgring 24 stands alongside the 24 Hours of Le Mans in France as one of the world’s most prestigious endurance races. The circuit, spanning over 25 km (approximately 15.5 miles), features more than 170 corners and elevation changes of up to 300m (about 984 ft). Coupled with rapidly changing weather conditions, these features have earned it the nickname “Green Hell.” This extreme environment is precisely why global automakers use the Nürburgring to push their vehicles to the limit, making it a revered testing ground for automotive development.
In this endurance race, victory goes to the car covering the greatest distance over 24 hours. This year’s event featured 134 cars across more than 20 classes. Each vehicle can have up to four drivers sharing duties, with individual stints limited to a maximum of three hours without a driver change.
Typically, all drivers must complete at least 15 laps. However, this year’s race saw an unusual two-hour interruption due to a pit lane power outage, leading officials to waive the minimum driving requirement. Given the race’s punishing nature, the Nürburgring 24 typically sees only 60-70% of entrants finish. This year, 65% of the field – 134 cars – made it to the checkered flag. In comparison, last year’s event saw 106 out of 147 starters complete the race.
Toyota marked its return to the Nürburgring 24 after a six-year absence, fielding entries in three classes: SP8, SP2T, and SP10. The GR Yaris represented Toyota in the SP8 and SP2T classes, while the GR Supra GT4 Evo2 competed in SP10. The spotlight, however, was on MORIZO himself, who piloted the GR Yaris. Adding to the family affair, his eldest son, Daisuke Toyoda, also participated as a driver.
MORIZO completed 15 laps during the event, while his son Daisuke logged 45 laps.
Tomoya Takahashi, President of GAZOO Racing, reported that the vehicles performed flawlessly throughout the race. He noted that MORIZO, initially planning to run just three laps, was so enthused by the driving experience that he extended his stint to six laps. Takahashi emphasized that the Toyota racing team’s strength lies in the direct involvement of top management. He added that this approach resonates deeply with their customers.
Toyota’s Nürburgring 24 journey began in 2007, laying the groundwork for its racing program. Until 2019, the company consistently challenged the event with various models, including the Altezza, 86, Supra, and LFA. In 2019, they secured a third-place class finish with the fifth-generation GR Supra, followed by a class victory in 2023 with the GR Supra GT4 Evo2.
MORIZO stated that their past and present enduring goal is to contribute to building better cars by pushing both people and vehicles to their limits. He reflected that while some may focus solely on race results, he believes the journey to those results is what truly matters.
He further explained that both cars and people evolve most when faced with adversity, emphasizing that the Nürburgring, where everyone drives identical cars under one roof and collaborates according to their roles, is the cornerstone of his philosophy.
Hyundai also made its mark, participating in the Nürburgring 24 for the tenth consecutive year. Since its 2016 debut, Hyundai has completed the race nine years running. Notably, the Elantra N TCR has dominated the TCR class, winning for four consecutive years. This year, they extended their remarkable streak to five consecutive class victories.
Unfortunately, Hyundai’s new entry, the Elantra N1 Cup Car in the SP3T class, was forced to retire mid-race following a collision with car number 27, a Lamborghini Huracán GT3 EVO2, at 8:44 AM on June 22.
The overall victory in this year’s Nürburgring 24 went to ROWE RACING, competing in the SP9 class with the BMW M4 GT3 EVO. The winning team completed an impressive 141 laps around the challenging Nürburgring circuit over the 24 hours.
