Lexus LC 500 Takes Two Podium Places in Penultimate Round of Super GT500 Series

Giving them the upper hand in the 2017 AUTOBACS SUPER GT championship, Lexus landed a ‎stunning pole-to-win victory, the fifth of the season, in the penultimate round of the SUPER GT500 series, held recently at the ‎Chang International Circuit in Thailand. Driven by Ryo Hirakawa and Nick Cassidy, the #37 KeePer TOM’S LC 500 finished first, followed by the #6 WAKO’s 4CR LC 500 in second place. The Lexus team KeePer TOM’S now leads the Team Ranking of the series with 87 points, while Hirakawa and Cassidy lead the Driver Ranking with 69 points.

The unpredictable weather made it difficult for the teams to judge which tire compound to use. As ‎the rain stopped just ahead of the start, only three of the 15 teams among the top-level GT500 class ‎opted for slicks while others went for wet weather tires. Moreover, due to the wet track, the officials opted for a controlled, three-lap start led by the safety car. Traffic and 30-degree temperatures eventually erased the wet tire advantage.

The KeePer TOM’S team went into the final round as the championship leader, six points ahead of fellow Lexus team #6 WAKO’s 4CR in second place. This positioning was also mirrored in the drivers’ championship, where Cassidy and Hirakawa were six points ahead of #6 WAKO’s 4CR drivers, Kazuya Oshima and Andrea Caldarelli.

The latest achievement the team accomplished, in the only round of the season to have been hosted overseas, ‎gave the team and its drivers a significant advantage in both championship titles and points.‎

Takayuki Yoshitsugu, Chief Representative, Middle East and North Africa Representative Office, Toyota Motor Corporation, said, “We congratulate the Lexus teams on their victory in the penultimate round of the season and for bringing the championship title ever closer within our reach. This race demonstrated the skill and determination of our drivers and the engineering excellence of our cars, as they had to swiftly adapt to changing weather. While participating in these events, we focus on testing our cars under extreme conditions on racetracks and bringing the best of Lexus’ amazing engineering and design to stimulate our customers’ emotions.”

The grand final of the 2017 Super GT championship was held on 11-12 November, 2017 at the Twin ‎Ring Motegi circuit in Japan.‎