Around the world, GT4 customer teams put their faith in the GR Supra GT4 EVO2. Since its debut in 2020, GAZOO Racing has delivered more than 170 of these race cars to partner teams on four continents. Now, a new record is set to be set on May 14-17 when a total of 24 GR Supra GT4 EVO2s compete in six series in four countries over a single weekend.
Top-tier GT4 teams take the GR Supra GT4 EVO2 to the ‘Green Hell’
The highlight of this Super Supra Race Weekend is the Nürburgring 24 Hours. At the legendary Eifel endurance race, two GR Customer Racing teams will compete in the SP10 class with the Nordschleife-proven GR Supra GT4 EVO2.
TOYO TIRES with Ring Racing – reigning SP10 Pro-Am champions with a GR Supra GT4 – will field one car for Giuliano Alesi, Kazuto Kotaka, Miki Koyama, and Shunji Okumoto. Based close to the Nürburgring, the team is one of GR Customer Racing’s early adopters and was responsible for the GR Supra GT4’s competition debut in June 2020, also on the Nürburgring.
Two years later, in 2022, the GR Supra GT4 became the first vehicle to complete a 24-hour race using 100% synthetic fuel. With Teichmann Racing, this pioneering effort is now entering its fourth season. The team from Adenau will compete with young drivers Hugo Schwarze, Lucas Cartelle, Javier Sagrera and Edgar Pierre behind the wheel of car #90.
All four drivers earned their Nordschleife permits – a special racing license required to compete at the ‘Green Hell’ – by participating with the TOYOTA RACING United team in rounds of the Nürburgring Endurance Series (NLS). TOYOTA RACING United is made up of TOYOTA RACING GmbH employees who show their passion for motorsports by volunteering for roles outside their usual working areas. In doing so, the employee team played a key role in Toyota’s development of young talent, enabling young drivers to enter and advance in motorsports.
Another pillar of GR Customer Racing’s driver development programme is the Young Driver Academy, which launched this spring. Its goal is to identify and nurture promising young drivers with a view to integrating them into GR Customer Racing’s future GT activities.
Elsewhere at the Nürburgring 24 Hours, two GR Yaris from the TOYOTA GAZOO Rookie Racing team (SP2T class) and four production-based GR Supra (VT2-RWD class) are also entered.
A first-class experience: the Toyota GR Experience powered by Stahlwerk
Toyota Germany offers fans a very special Nürburgring race weekend package. At the Toyota GR Experience powered by Stahlwerk, located at the Hatzenbach Plateau, visitors can enjoy a motorsports adventure packed with highlights. Motorsport engineers and product specialists will provide fascinating insights into the technology behind the GR models. Visitors can watch the race action on a large screen, as well as enjoying interviews and autograph sessions with the Toyota drivers from Ring Racing. Esports challenges, a GR fan shop, a variety of street food, and breakfast complete the offering. Overnight stays at the D6 and D7 campground provide a comfortable, authentic 24-hour experience.
Fans can get up close to the action on track and in the pits too. A shuttle service is on hand to take guests to various spectator areas as well as the Ring Boulevard, which provides access to the paddock and main straight grandstands.
Meanwhile, those wishing to experience the thrill of driving the rally-inspired GR Yaris can get behind the wheel for a dynamic test drive at Driving Safety Center 1.
Strong GR customer teams in European and Asian GT4 series
Elsewhere on the Super Supra Race Weekend, six GR Supra GT4 EVO2s will compete in the second round of the French FFSA GT4 Championship at the former Grand Prix circuit of Dijon-Prenois on May 16-17. Akkodis ASP, Circuit Toys, and Mirage Racing will field two cars each.
Three series featuring GT4 cars will kick off their seasons at the southwestern corner of Europe. The Campeonato Portugal Velocidade (CPV), SuperCars España, and SuperCars Iberian series, which are part of the SuperCars GT4 South platform, will be in action at the Autodromo Internacional do Algarve in Portimão as part of the Algarve Iberian Racing Festival. GR Supra GT4 EVO2 teams have set the standard in all three series over the past two years. At the end of last season, the roll of honour included the Portuguese GT title, the GT4 Pro drivers’ title in the CPV series, and victories in Super Cars Iberian. Alongside defending champions Speedy Motorsport, TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Caetano Portugal, Batina Racing, and Gianfranco Motorsport will field a total of nine GR Supra GT4s.
In GAZOO Racing’s homeland, two race events take place during the Super Supra Race Weekend. The opening rounds of this year’s SRO Japan Cup will be contested at Sportsland Sugo on May 15-17. In the GT4 class, Akiland Racing will compete with a GR Supra GT4 EVO2. At the same time, the final test gets underway before the 24 Hours of Fuji, the highlight of the Super Taikyu Series. At Fuji Speedway, on the foothills of Mount Fuji, the five GR Supra GT4s of Aoyama Gakuin University Motorsports Club, Tracy Sports, Saitama Green Brave, Wing Hin Motorsports Japan and Shade Racing will take important steps to prepare for the 24-hour contest.
The second meeting of the Belgian Gentlemen Drivers Club at Magny-Cours in France rounds out the Super Supra Race Weekend for GR Customer Racing. In the 100 Series, ROOS Motorsport aims to build on its strong start to the season with a GR Supra GT4 EVO in the GT4+ class.
