TOYOTA GAZOO Racing
to Compete with the Lexus LC in the 24 Hours of Nürburgring 2019
-Race car and driver line-up revealed at the TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Festival-

TOYOTA GAZOO Racing announced that it will compete with the Lexus LC for the second year in a row at the 47th 24 Hours of Nürburgring Endurance Race (officially titled "ADAC Zurich 24h-Rennen"; hereinafter "Nürburgring 24 Hours Race"), which takes place at the Nürburgring in Germany from June 20 to 23, 2019.

The Nürburgring 24 Hours Race is held yearly at the Nürburgring, a track in central Germany that is widely regarded as the world's most grueling course and competed with close to 200 race cars.

Competing in the Nürburgring 24 Hours Race is the starting point for TOYOTA GAZOO Racing's activities aimed at "making ever-better cars." TOYOTA GAZOO Racing has competed in every race since 2007, using race cars built by Toyota employees and raced by a team of Toyota mechanics and engineers, and 2019 will mark the company's 13th consecutive year of participation.

In 2019, TOYOTA GAZOO Racing will enter the Lexus LC for the second year in a row. This year, the team encountered issues with the powertrain, brakes, tires, and electronics, and the race car was forced to spend a total of approximately four hours in the pits. Drawing on this experience, next year TOYOTA GAZOO Racing aims to cover a greater distance and once again complete the race. The Lexus LC will also incorporate advanced development technologies* destined for future production vehicles—including sports cars—and will therefore form part of TOYOTA GAZOO Racing's efforts towards "making ever-better cars" through activities aimed at "refining people, and refining cars."

The four-driver line-up for 2019 will remain the same as this year: the veteran Takeshi Tsuchiya will be chief driver, and compete alongside the young drivers Naoya Gamou, Takamitsu Matsui, and Yuichi Nakayama. Naoya Gamou, who will be competing in the race for the seventh time, will also be in charge of the vehicle setup. The drivers, mechanics, and engineers will work together as they seek to achieve their goals in the Nürburgring 24 Hours Race.

*Competing in the Nürburgring 24 Hours Race with the Lexus LC will enable TOYOTA GAZOO Racing to introduce the following advanced development technologies destined for future production vehicles:
・Body technology development（an optimal low-weight, high-rigidity body structure, and newly developed aerodynamic components, and driver assistance technology）
・Suspension technologies（low-weight, high-rigidity suspension that has been thoroughly researched in advance）
・Engine development（increased performance, improved thermal efficiency, reduced weight, and a lower center of gravity）

Naoya Gamou, Driver

Development of the race car for the Nur 24H 2019 has only just started, but my first impression from driving it is that the dialog between the driver and the car is much smoother.
The car seems to be improved beyond my expectations; for example, the electronic rear and side mirrors' view on the dashboard monitor is clear and fog-free. I look forward to what's to come.
Through testing in Japan and Germany, and the Nürburgring 24 Hours Race, I hope to pursue more than just better lap times. I hope we can build the car that is more comfortable and more fun to drive.

This is my first experience to be in charge of the vehicle setup for the Nürburgring 24 Hours Race, and I believe it will be a great chance for me to also improve myself. As have been doing, we will ensure to share what we drivers feel in the car with our mechanics and engineers and enjoy this opportunity to make "ever-better cars."

Pictures will be uploaded here during the event

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