The Nürburgring, with its intense up-and-down hills and rough road conditions, is the only track in the world of racing that features the same environment as the general road. It’s said that running 10 laps at Nürburgring is the equivalent to traveling 800km on public roads. The 24-hour race spans 100 or more laps, so this might be the best track in the world to test the limits of both man and machine.

24 Hours of Nürburgring began in 1970 and has been run 47 times since (the race was suspended during the oil crises). Referred to as the “Holy Land of New Car Development,” the race is prime time for manufacturers and professional drivers to put themselves to the test. But although race expertise and cutting edge technology is crucial, the winners at Nürburgring are often simply those with luck on their side.

At Toyota, our goal racing competitions is to develop not only better cars but also better employees. That is why TOYOTA GAZOO Racing has entered vehicles in the 24 Hours Nürburgring since 2007.

The reason Toyota employees working in the company’s vehicle development departments serve as race mechanics and even drivers in the company’s motorsports initiatives is not about winning or losing. Rather, the goal is to develop employees who are capable of making better cars.

The 24 Hours Nürburgring differs from flat circuits in that the course is more similar to regular driving—only with tougher roads—and that contestants drive commercial vehicles instead of racecars. During the limited time of the race—just 24 hours—we address the question of what kind of car we need to create in order to meet the challenges of the course with the utmost safety at top speeds. Our employees get a deeper level of training by using their own hands to actually compete, and by experiencing the muscle memory of the race. This all serves to give them better tools to fine-tune Toyota vehicles.