Rivals' Exhilarating Start in Super Taikyu Series! Competition Heats Up as Contenders Race Side by Side in Pursuit of Carbon Neutrality

In the world of endurance racing, Japan's Super Taikyu Series is gearing up for an exciting season. This year, the series will witness the debut of the GR86 (#28), which runs on a carbon-neutral fuel, adding a new dimension to the competition.

Meanwhile, the #61 Subaru BRZ, driven by Takuto Iguchi, Hideki Yamauchi, and Subaru staff driver Koichi Hirota, will be a formidable rival to the GR86. Team SDA Engineering, the team behind the #61 Subaru BRZ, has been a staple in the Super Taikyu Series.

The Super Taikyu Series consists of seven rounds, with the next one being the 24-hour race at Fuji Speedway, scheduled for June 3 to 5. This race is a significant event, with Toyota Times Athletes Now planning to provide 24-hour coverage.

Toyota is not the only manufacturer making waves in the series. The ST-Q class, which features in-development manufacturer cars, will see two ORC ROOKIE Racing cars competing. One of them is a hydrogen-powered Corolla Sport, returning for its second year, and the other is a GR86 running on a synthetic fuel derived from biomass.

The specific drivers for the Rookie Racing team driving the hydrogen-powered Toyota Corolla for the upcoming year are not yet announced. However, we know that Yasuhiro Ogura, president of Japanese auto-parts maker Ogura Clutch, will be the D driver. Masahiro Sasaki, known for his particular tastes and customizing his own car, will be the A driver.

Last year, the hydrogen-powered Corolla placed 5th with 97 laps in the Fuji 24-hour race, seven more than its outing in September 2020. In the Suzuka 5-hour endurance race, the GR86 finished in second, and the BRZ in third, in the STQ category. Interestingly, both cars completed 115 laps, with just 63 seconds separating them at the end of the race.

Akio Toyoda, also known as Morizo, will be driving the GR86. He moved up from the C driver position last year. The GR86's drivers also include Naoya Gamou and Daisuke Toyoda, who acts as an interpreter between professional drivers and Toyota's vehicle assessment drivers. Hiroaki Ishiura, the Super Formula champion in 2015 and 2017, is the C driver.

The GR86's engine is a 1.4L turbo, while the Subaru BRZ features a 2.4L naturally aspirated engine. This difference in engine type could add an intriguing dynamic to the competition.

Iguchi previously drove for ROOKIE Racing in the Super Taikyu. His experience and familiarity with the team could give the hydrogen-powered Corolla a competitive edge.

As the season progresses, fans can look forward to an exciting showdown between the GR86 and the #61 Subaru BRZ, both running on carbon-neutral fuels, in Japan's Super Taikyu Series.

Rivals' Exhilarating Start in Super Taikyu Series! Competition Heats Up as Contenders Race Side by Side in Pursuit of Carbon Neutrality