Following their outstanding display of performance by grabbing triple class wins at the 2012 24 Hours of Nurburgring, Gazoo Racing will once again make an appearance for this year’s endurance race across the legendary German circuit. The 41st Nurburgring endurance race will take place this 17-20 May and will be Toyota’s seventh entry since 2007.
Spearheading their charge to victory will again be the combo of one Lexus LFA and two Toyota 86s. The LFA will be piloted by Masahiko Kageyama, Hiroaki Ishiura and Kazuya Oshima. The 86 on the other hand will see Akira Iida, Takuto Iguchi and Naoya Gamou sharing the first car, while the second car is being shared between Takayuki Kinoshita, Kumi Sato, Hisashi Yabuki and Yasuo Hirata.
But among the names listed on the driver’s list, the name of Toyota Motor Corporation’s president Akio Toyoda this time is nowhere to be found. He usually has his name included in the list as he himself enjoys racing like Aston Martin’s CEO Dr. Ulrich Bez. He might have been persuaded by his advisors, or his responsibility as the company president no longer allows him to take part in the race that runs through one of the most dangerous circuits known to man.