Toyo Tires Announces Top-Class N24 Assault

Toyo Tires has announced it will take on the top SP9 class in the Nürburgring 24 for the first time this year in association with Ring Racing.

Last weekend at the Tokyo Auto Salon, it was revealed that a single Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo will be fielded in the Eifel classic by Toyo Tires with Ring Racing.

Ex-SUPER GT racer Yuichi Nakayama is the first confirmed driver for the car following his appointment as an ambassador for the Japanese tire brand.

It marks Toyo’s first foray into the top category since it first entered the N24 in 2020, with its efforts up to now having largely centered on GT4 machinery.

Nakayama gained experience driving a Mercedes-AMG in the GT World Challenge Europe powered by AWS Endurance Cup run by Ring Racing and entered under the Nordique Racing banner last season.

That program was combined with two substitute FIA World Endurance Championship outings for Akkodis ASP in a Lexus RC F GT3.

Last year, Ring Racing expanded its relationship with Toyota, entering one of its two Supra GT4 Evos in the SP8T class of the N24 for Nakayama and three other Toyota-aligned drivers, Miki Koyama, Giuliano Alesi and Kazuto Kotaka.

The same trio will continue to be involved in Toyo’s GT4 program at the Nürburgring this year, joined by newcomer Shunji Okumoto, the reserve driver for Subaru in SUPER GT.

Okumoto gained his first experience of the Nordschleife last year when he contested NLS8 and NLS9 in a Supra GT4 for KCMG.

Koyama and Kotaka will also share a car in SUPER GT this year, the apr Lexus LC500h in the GT300 class, while Alesi remains a part of Toyota’s GT500 roster with TOM’S.