Two Lexus LFAs (#50 & #51) and one IS F will be competing in this weekend’s Nürburgring 24h race, so I thought we should have some place to discuss the race as it happens.
In two rounds of qualifying, the #50 LFA finished p25 & the #51 LFA is p28, and sit first and second in the SP8 category. Both LFAs took some damage, with #50 hitting a sidewall and the #51 clipping a side rail, but both are scheduled to race in the big event.
(So far, I’ve been unable to find the IS F position.)
The 24h race starts tomorrow at 3PM UTC +2, so that’s 9AM EST/6AM PST (I think). Live results can be viewed at the ADAC website, and Lexus Europe will be updating both their Facebook & Twitter accounts.
Hour 2: #51 LFA is running p17, #50 LFA is p24. The Team COTY IS F is well back at p161 after needing a new fuel pump. Here’s a photo from right before the race started:
Another great shot of the LFA pre-race:
More updates to come.
Hour 4: After fueling up and a driver change, #50 LFA is back at p35 and #51 LFA is p48. #72 IS F is climbing up the standing, jumping to p139.
Toyota President Akio Toyoda is in attendance:
There was some difficulty in finding a live stream of the race, but I discovered a feed — open http://24h-rennen.de/livecast/live_01.asx in Windows Media player or VLC to watch the German broadcast.
Hour 6: After running into some aero problems, the #51 LFA has fallen back to p124. The #50 LFA is running in p51, and the #72 IS F continues its climb and now sits at p120.
It’s starting to get dark:
Hour 10: #51 LFA has been taken out of the race due to a bearing failure, and the #50 LFA is running at p40. The #72 IS F keeps climbing, and is now at p85:
Hour 14: The #50 LFA is going strong, and is now in p33, but the big story is the IS F — after being as low as p161, it’s now climbed almost 100 positions and sits at p68.
Here’s a top-notch photo of the #50 LFA leaving the pits:
This will be my last update tonight, check back tomorrow for the final hours!
Hour 20: The #51 LFA is back on the track after 11 hours in the pits, and the #50 LFA is now in p26:
The #72 IS-F is running in p72.
Hour 23: The #50 LFA is now in the top 20 and currently running at p19. The #72 IS F is at p 61, and the #51 LFA is way back at p160. Only one hour to go!
Hour 24: The #50 LFA finished the race in p18 and first in the SP 8 Class — the #51 LFA managed to hit p156 after an eleven hour pitstop — here’s the two of them post-race:
Even after the fuel pump problem that prevented the IS F from taking part in the qualifying round, the #72 IS F finished at p60.
Congratulations to all the teams!
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