TOYOTA GAZOO Racing
To Compete with Lexus LC in the 24 Hours of Nürburgring 2020 for Third Year
- Driver Lineup Announced at TOYOTA GAZOO Racing FESTIVAL 2019 -

TOYOTA GAZOO Racing announced at TOYOTA GAZOO Racing FESTIVAL 2019^*1 that it will compete with the Lexus LC for the third year in the 48th 24 Hours of Nürburgring Endurance Race (referred to as the “Nürburgring 24 Hours Race”), which will take place in Nürburgring, Germany from May 21 to 24, 2020.

The Nürburgring 24 Hours Race is held at the Nürburgring in May every year, 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 “root” 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 2020 will mark the company’s 14th consecutive year participating.

In 2020, TOYOTA GAZOO Racing will race with Lexus LC for the third year. Despite completing the race and undergoing the harsh environment of Nürburgring, the past two years have seen the Lexus LC spending several unavoidable hours in the pit to resolve issues. In 2020, the team will use what it has learnt through these hard experiences and aim to complete the race without any trouble by adopting a variety of new technologies^*2, including a newly-developed V8 twin-turbo engine destined for use on future road cars such as sports cars. TOYOTA GAZOO Racing will conduct activities to "refine people and refine cars" in pursuit of “making ever-better cars.”

TOYOTA GAZOO Racing will compete with well experienced drivers in the Nürburgring 24 Hours Race. Hiroaki Ishiura, who will compete in the race for the sixth time, will be the chief driver and compete alongside Masahiro Sasaki, Kazuya Oshima, and Naoya Gamo. All drivers, mechanics and engineers will work together as they undertake the challenge of the race.

*1 Held at Fuji International Speedway on December 15, 2019. For details, please see the following URL (https://toyotagazooracing.com/jp/tgrf/2019/)

*2 Competing in the Nürburgring 24 Hours Race with the Lexus LC will enable TOYOTA GAZOO Racing to introduce the following advanced development technologies planned for use in future road cars:
・Engine development (newly-developed V8 twin-turbo engine)
・Body development (an optimal low-weight, high-rigidity body structure, enhanced aerodynamic components, and driver assistance technology)
・Suspension development (low-weight, high-rigidity suspension, lightweight wheel, high-response shock absorber)
・Driving control development (advancement in various control systems^**)
(**VSC: vehicle stability control system, TRC: traction control system, ABS: anti-rock brake system)

HIROAKI ISHIURA, Driver

I am grateful for this opportunity to compete in the 2020 Nürburgring 24 Hours Race. As I haven’t competed in the race at Nürburgring for some time, I am very excited, but I also feel some responsibility as the setting leader. This project has accumulated considerable expertise through continuous car making every year, and we hope to use that expertise to develop even faster and safer cars that everyone can enjoy. There are many elements that can be refined only under the harsh environment of the 24 Hours of Nürburgring Race, and I think this gives great meaning to taking on this challenge. By combining everyone’s strengths to refine the LEXUS LC, I hope to provide feedback for reliable car making, accumulate technologies, and contribute to “making ever-better cars”. I look forward to receiving your support.

Pictures will be uploaded here during the event

URL: https://www.tgr-dam.com
*In order to access the media site, please register your ID and password through above URL.
<NOTE>
- The content is password protected only for media.