Start of the Race
The race started at 4:00 p.m. The early stages featured tight competition. Thankfully, Car No. 109 and Car No. 110 drove smoothly without being caught in any accidents.
However, about an hour and a half into the race, an unprecedented situation occurred when a power outage in the pit disabled the signals, refueling, and timing systems. This forced the race to be suspended under a red flag.
The race restarted after an interruption lasting 2 hours and 15 minutes. The restart coincided with a driver change to Morizo. He drove alongside car No. 382, led by driver Hiroaki Ishiura.
Originally, in consideration for his physical condition, Morizo had planned to complete three laps. However, as he kept driving, he found himself saying “one more lap,” and ultimately ended up completing six laps. “The setting sun was harsh, but I wasn’t as tired as I expected,” said a refreshed-looking Morizo after completing his drive. “I think I could have driven two or three more laps. That was the most I have ever driven!”
“In this race, I led at a pace which allowed Morizo to drive freely,” said Ishiura with a wry smile. “When driving consecutive laps, drivers are able to increase their cornering speed each lap. So driving six laps rather than two or three makes the driver go faster and faster. Morizo’s pace kept rising with each lap to the point where I was pressured to keep up!”
The weather in Nürburgring is known for constantly changing conditions, especially rain and fog. However, race week in 2025 was marked by summer-like clear skies. Perhaps because of this, a series of crashes occurred from around 10:00 p.m., when night was falling. Nevertheless, the two GAZOO cars avoided trouble and continued driving. The course at Nürburgring has no nighttime lighting, so the cars must rely solely on their headlights. Although the headlights of the GR YARIS DAT appeared normal at first glance, they were actually enhanced with a special brightness boost designed for Nürburgring. This is one example of how detailed parts had been refined.
Looking back on the team’s history of competing at Nürburgring, nighttime had often brought trouble and thrown the pit and team into chaos. However, nothing happened in 2025. “It’s almost scary that nothing bad is happening…” remarked one engineer quietly. The team tent served a meal of Kizuna Curry, which is one of Morizo’s favorite dishes. The sharp spices helped jolt the team members awake from their drowsiness.
Even as the pitch-black night gave way to the rising sun, Car No. 109 and Car No. 110 continued to drive steadily. Morizo began his second stint at 10:00 a.m. For his first stint, the driver change took place in the pit garage due to health considerations. However, the driver change for Morizo’s second stint took place in the pit lane like the other drivers, and he entered the course from there.
Morizo was originally scheduled to drive five laps. However, he was forced to make an emergency pit stop on the fourth lap due to a radio malfunction. The mechanics responded immediately and the car returned to the track. These brief few minutes were the only time during the 24-hour race that Car No. 109 stopped driving. After fixing the malfunction, Morizo once again felt the urge to drive “one more lap,” and increased the number of laps one-by-one, just like his first stint.
Hirata, a mentor of Morizo who has supported GAZOO in racing at Nürburgring since 2007, was watching the in-car video footage. “His driving reminds me of Naruse,” said Hirata happily. “Not only in the way in which he handles his car, but also in the skillful way that he yields to faster drivers.”
The person in the pit who watched Morizo drive with the most concern was driver Daisuke Toyoda.
“Morizo has gained a lot of experience and improved his skills,” observed Daisuke. “I believe that one of the themes of racing in 2025 Nürburgring for Morizo is to find his current capabilities as a driver. He is now testing the skills he developed driving on Japanese circuits during the time he could not race at Nürburgring.”
Morizo had previously stated that he would relinquish his status as master driver if he was unable to drive satisfactorily at Nürburgring. In fact, Naruse once said almost the exact same thing. It seems that this is a principle followed by master drivers at Toyota. On the other hand, Morizo had also expressed concern that Nürburgring may not allow him to compete in the race. He had been dealing with illness since 2024 and felt unsure if he could continue to perform at the age of 68—incidentally, the same age at which Naruse passed away. These concerns illustrated the level of resolve with which Morizo took on the challenge of racing at Nürburgring.
Ultimately, Morizo completed nine laps in his second stint. Combined with his first stint, this brought his total laps to fifteen, which was a record for the most laps ever driven. After driving, he appeared satisfied at his driving performance and how he proved that he still belongs on the track.
“Although the track was rough and there were many crashes, I drove confidently despite the tough conditions,” Morizo reflected with tears welling up in his eyes. “I was able to drive well thanks to having learned from Naruse. The 8-speed automatic transmission was excellent. Without it, I don’t think I could have completed fifteen laps. I’m truly grateful to Toyota and to everyone for being able to enjoy driving the GR YARIS at this year’s Nürburgring. While holding the steering wheel, I felt that we are no longer alone in our quest to make even-better cars. Now, we have so many like-minded people that support us.”
The GR YARIS continued driving steadily after Morizo’s comments. Things were going so smoothly that a superstitious Hirata firmly declined a request for comments from the media. “In previous races, I have experienced many last-minute troubles before, so I’m not saying anything until we cross the finish line,” explained Hirata. True to his words, with three hours left to go in the race, Car No. 110 experienced some trouble and had two flat tires. Nürburgring demands vigilance until the very end.
The checkered flag was waved at 4:00 p.m. on June 22, exactly 24 hours after the start. The 2025 Nürburgring 24 Hours was one of the toughest races in recent years. Only 88 of 134 cars finished. Car No. 109 finished 52nd overall (1st in the SP2T class), and Car No. 110 finished 29th overall (4th in the SP class). Both drove well over the full 24 hours.
After the race, everyone involved in the GAZOO team gathered in the team tent for the final meeting. Morizo gave the following message:
“As a driver, I was able to complete my goal of 15 laps. Despite crashes and rough track conditions, I was able to drive with peace of mind because I had the invaluable experience of learning from Naruse.
I even spoke with Naruse while driving. One time, I asked him if my skill as a race car driver had improved. Naruse told me ‘I don’t want you to become a better driver, because if you are too good a driver you will no longer be able to understand what makes a car good.’ I immediately responded that becoming a better driver would allow me to experience the capabilities of a good car.”
“Looking back, when I started GR together with Naruse in 2007, our team was not supported by anyone. This time, GR and RR united as a single team of engineers, mechanics, and drivers. I am overjoyed by the way in which we have come together. Twenty years ago, we could never have accomplished this even if we had wanted to. While driving in the Nürburgring, I strongly felt the presence of many companions who had joined my lonely journey of making ever-better cars. In this race, every member of our team crossed the finish line together. I am overwhelmed with gratitude at everyone’s hard work.”
Afterwards, the team surprised Morizo with a gift presented by Chief Engineer Hisadomi and Chief Mechanic Minami. It was a GR YARIS DAT steering wheel which had been signed by the drivers and bore the message “You are the best!” Upon receiving the gift, Morizo happily shouted “No, you guys are the best!”, after which everyone responded with cheers of “You are the best!” and loud applause.
The team achieved outstanding results after returning to Nürburgring for the first time in six years. However, these results are not the goal—instead, they are the starting line for making even-better cars. “Finishing the race gave me confidence that our car development is moving in the right direction,” said Hisadomi with great conviction. “However, the knowledge gained from this race must be incorporated into the next production car. That is our challenge and mission, so we are far from finished.” All team members will undoubtedly show growth based on their experience at Nürburgring.
On June 23, the day after the race, countless flowers were placed under the two cherry trees. Most likely, the team members came to report their successful finish. One wonders how Naruse felt while watching this race…
“You guys actually did surprisingly good. But Toyota has a bad habit of slipping back to old ways the moment it loses sight of its goal. So stay hungry!”
