Toyota’s tenth year of participation at the 24 Hours of Nürburgring begins
Rain falls during first qualifying, but all three cars complete the session unscathed

ニュル24時間レースQualifying Race

The 24 Hours of Nürburgring begins: on the world’s most demanding circuit, a wide range of cars battle it out for 24 hours. Free practice and the first qualifying session took place on May 26.

The TOYOTA C-HR Racing, the LEXUS RC and the LEXUS RC F, which is run by TOM’s, took part in Race 2 of the VLN Endurance Championship (VLN2) on April 15–17. In the short space of time between the end of that race and the start of the 24 Hours of Nürburgring, the teams for each of the vehicles overcame various issues and made improvements. The LEXUS RC F also participated in Race 3 of the VLN Endurance Championship (VLN3) on May 14 to test its reliability.

  • Mechanics make detailed checks of the vehicles in the pits
    Mechanics make detailed checks of the vehicles in the pits
  • The LEXUS RC F competes in VLN3, and various improvements perform successfully
    The LEXUS RC F competes in VLN3, and various improvements perform successfully

Though rain had been forecast for free practice, the session was held in dry conditions under blue skies. Starting at 3.45pm, the three TOYOTA GAZOO Racing vehicles made their way onto the circuit for the 1hr 40mins session as the teams made various checks; the vehicles then continued to run to the end of the allotted time, making driver changed as they went. However, after the session had finished, both the LEXUS RC F and the LEXUS RC were found to be carrying issues, and the mechanics worked hard to resolve them in the short time before qualifying began. The TOYOTA C-HR Racing, on the other hand, finished the session with zero issues. Improvements to the vehicle’s suspension, which had been made after VLN2, were successful, and the drivers praised its stable handling.

  • The TOYOTA C-HR Racing shows excellent pace during a trouble-free session
    The TOYOTA C-HR Racing shows excellent pace during a trouble-free session
  • The drivers praise the stable handling of the TOYOTA C-HR Racing
    The drivers praise the stable handling of the TOYOTA C-HR Racing

The first round of qualifying lasted from 8pm to 11.30pm, for a total of 3hrs 30mins; at the Nürburgring, this meant the session started at sunset and continued into the night. However, rain began to fall just before the start of qualifying and gradually grew worse. As the three racecars continued to attack, the teams kept a careful eye on their choice of tires. One of the drivers at the wheel of the LEXUS RC was Driver Morizo—it was his first appearance at the Nürburgring in a year.

  • The LEXUS RC waits to join the circuit as the rain steadily worsens
    The LEXUS RC waits to join the circuit as the rain steadily worsens
  • Driver Morizo takes the wheel of the LEXUS RC
    Driver Morizo takes the wheel of the LEXUS RC

The TOYOTA C-HR Racing recorded a fastest lap of 11mins 6.233secs, to take fifth place in the SP2T Class. Race driver Masahiko Kageyama commented: “The setup was improved after VLN2 and worked flawlessly. The vehicle now runs stably in both dry and wet conditions. If it is dry tomorrow, we will attack. However, we have changed the drive system in preparation for the race, so we won’t take any undue risks and will focus on the race itself.”

The LEXUS RC claimed seventh place in the SP3T Class with a time of 11mins 4.601secs. Takayuki Kinoshita, who acts as a leader-like figure among TOYOTA GAZOO Racing drivers, spoke after the session: “We were deceived by the weather and chose the wrong tire so, speaking plainly, we only just managed to clear the required number of laps for each of the four drivers. The vehicle is not in bad condition at all, but it’s a fact that we still need to make some adjustments. We are gambling everything on the second qualifying session tomorrow.”

  • In preparation for the second qualifying session, race driver Kinoshita checks the condition of the machine
    In preparation for the second qualifying session, race driver Kinoshita checks the condition of the machine
  • The LEXUS RC F boldly goes on the attack
    The LEXUS RC F boldly goes on the attack

The LEXUS RC F recorded a lap time of 8mins 37.386secs to place 33rd overall after the first qualifying session.

Based on its performance in qualifying, checks were made to the machine and adjustments made to the setup.
The racecar would take to the circuit again at 9.30am on May 27 for the second round of qualifying.

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