Race Debut of Novice Driver ROOKIE Racing, Captured Through a Lens
Toyota's GR Yaris and GR Supra Take the Checkered Flag Together in Super Taikyu Series
In a thrilling finish at Round 5 of the 2020 Super Taikyu Series, held at the Autopolis International Racing Course in Oita Prefecture, Japan, the GR Yaris and GR Supra crossed the finish line together.
The GR Yaris-Car No. 32-and its drivers Takuto Iguchi, Masahiro Sasaki, and Akio Toyoda (also known as "Morizo") secured the championship in the ST-2 class. This victory, coupled with the series final at Suzuka still to go in January, ensures a successful year for the team.
Morizo gave it another go for the last 20 minutes of the race, demonstrating deft pace control despite the increased risk. This strategy enabled the GR Yaris and GR Supra to line up just when they entered the final lap. At 3:51 p.m., the two cars took the checkered flag together, a symbolic moment for ROOKIE Racing's journey in 2020.
Photographer Noriaki Mitsuhashi, who documented ROOKIE Racing throughout the season, focused on capturing images of team members, mechanics, and engineers in addition to the drivers. The theme of the new Toyota Times series is capturing and showing the evolution of the GR Yaris and GR Supra.
Autopolis in December means low road surface temperatures and more time needed to warm up the tires. Despite these challenges, the GR Yaris ran for five hours without mishap, with Sasaki, Morizo, and then Iguchi as the driver order.
On the grid for ROOKIE Racing's last race of 2020, all of the team's drivers gathered around the GR Yaris. From the podium, Sasaki, Morizo, and Iguchi sent their joy to team members.
The GR Supra was driven for one-hour stints rotated by Daisuke Toyoda, Naoya Gamou, Yasuhiro Ogura, and Shunsuke Kohno. Morizo was even asked to control his pace and slow down, increasing the number of times other cars could pass by and the risk of vehicle-to-vehicle contact.
As the GR Yaris and GR Supra became champions in their class, the team at ROOKIE Racing continues to unite, pushing every element of their cars to the limit in an incessant quest for continuous improvement. A birthday cake was even delivered to a ROOKIE Racing staff member during the weekend at Autopolis, further emphasising the team spirit.
As the 2020 races have all been run, ROOKIE Racing looks forward to the series final at Suzuka and the continued evolution of their GR Yaris and GR Supra.
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