Sports | Friday 23 September, 2016 4:38 pm |

The No. 31 TOYOTA PRIUS apr GT driven by Koki Saga and Yuichi Nakayama competed brilliantly to claim second place in Round 6 of the 2016 AUTOBACS SUPER GT 300 series, which took place recently at the 45th International Suzuka 1000km race held at the Suzuka Circuit in Japan. The No. 31 TOYOTA PRIUS apr GT stands second in the team rankings at this stage with two more rounds to go for the season. 

 

The teams were competing in difficult conditions that saw rain falling intermittently. Due to the length of the Suzuka 1000km race, there was no morning free practice session held as in the other GT rounds. Instead, the usual 8-minute warm-up time before the start was extended to 20 minutes. When the race started, the track was partially wet, which led most of the teams to start the race with dry-condition tires, with the exception of the No. 31 TOYOTA PRIUS apr GT driven by Koki Saga. Having chosen rain tires, Saga had trouble keeping pace, and he decided to return to the pit for a tire change at the end of the third lap. 

 

After changing to dry-condition tires and changing drivers from Koki Saga to Yuichi Nakayama, the team returned to the race having lost considerable ground. The No. 31 TOYOTA PRIUS apr GT, however, continued to compete, and in the last half of the race and with two laps remaining, Nakayama went ahead to finish second in a close contest. Round 7 of the 2016 championship now takes place in Thailand on October 8th and 9th, 2016. 

 

According to Takayuki Yoshitsugu, Chief Representative, Middle East and North Africa Representative Office, Toyota Motor Corporation, “It was an excellent result for the No. 31 TOYOTA PRIUS apr GT and I would like to congratulate the drivers and the entire support staff for this outstanding performance. The experience gained through participation in top-level motorsports has contributed significantly in helping Toyota to build ever better cars to put a smile on the faces of our customers. We also appreciate the support of our fans and their constant encouragement for our racing initiatives.” 

 

Race Notes: 

 

• No. 31 TOYOTA PRIUS apr GT (Koki Saga and Yuichi Nakayama) 
  • Race: 2nd, 161 laps, Best Lap: 2'01.944