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Race 2 at the SUGO circuit with Morizo behind the wheel of the GR Yaris, marking its final race competition

Photographer Noriaki Mitsuhashi documents the fierce racing battles of ROOKIE Racing in Round 2 of the 2021 Super Taikyu Series, which took place at SUGO.

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In the Sugo Circuit's second heat, Morizo Himself Pilots the GR Yaris for Its Final Lap of...
In the Sugo Circuit's second heat, Morizo Himself Pilots the GR Yaris for Its Final Lap of Competition

Race 2 at the SUGO circuit with Morizo behind the wheel of the GR Yaris, marking its final race competition

In the latest round of the Super Taikyu Series 2021, the GR Yaris and GR Supra teams put on a strong showing, despite challenging weather conditions and a few unexpected setbacks.

The qualifying session for both vehicles was held under wet and slippery track conditions. Morizo, a possible team leader, managed to drive faster than his personal best time during the race, earning pole position in the ST-2 class for the GR Yaris. Meanwhile, Daisuke Toyoda, the B driver for the GR Supra, marked his best time of 1 minute 40.987 seconds in the qualifying session.

However, the GR Yaris team faced a setback during the free practice session when the drive shaft bearing suffered a fatigue fracture. The team quickly carried out repairs, but the issue did not cause problems during the qualifying session.

During the race, Morizo drove more laps than originally planned due to changing conditions. Unfortunately, the GR Yaris was overtaken at the last minute, missing out on a podium finish in the race. Despite this, the GR Yaris of Kobe Toyopet, a separate privateer team, earned its second consecutive win in the ST-2 class.

On a positive note, ROOKIE Racing has decided to switch one of its vehicles to a Corolla Sport installed with a hydrogen-powered engine for the Fuji SUPER TEC 24 Hours Race in Round 3 of the Super Taikyu Series 2021. Morizo spoke about the GR Yaris' new trend pioneering the use of hydrogen and signaling the start of a new chapter.

The GR Supra's race was held in the afternoon, while the GR Yaris' race was held in the morning due to an increased number of vehicles. Despite this, Morizo's earplugs were not inserted properly during the race, leaving him without radio communication.

The last race for the GR Yaris is at Round 2 Sportsland SUGO, as development continues on the GR Supra. The teams will undoubtedly be looking to bounce back from this close call and continue their strong performances in the upcoming races.

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