Drift Masters: Disappointing but instructive season 🎥
EVERYTHING SHOULD BE BETTER At the last rounds of the European Drift Masters in Germany and Poland, Toyota Gazoo Racing Switzerland came away empty-handed. Nevertheless, team boss Yves Meyer sees light on the horizon for 2024.
The fifth round of the Drift Masters European Championship took Toyota Gazoo Racing Switzerland to Ferropolis in the central German city of iron. In a gigantic arena with a special drift course, the Iron Drift King 2023 was determined. Unfortunately the team from Emmetten with Yves Meyer and Joshua C. Reynolds (gallery left) missed the direct qualification for the main tableau in the field of 50 drivers from 20 nations. While JC lost his chance with a spin in the first run and a crash in the second attempt, Capo Yves Myer managed a decent qualifying with 85 points.
Accident due to technical defect
Yves Meyer (center gallery, photo AGVS): "I had thought that this score would easily be enough for the top 32, as in other races. But that was not the case, which speaks for the high level of the field of participants. Even if it sounds strange: For me, this was still motivating, because we were able to show the jury much more than before what they wanted to see."
Unfortunately, he failed to do so in the final race at the Narodowy stadium in Poland's capital Warsaw. Reynolds had too few points to qualify, which Meyer missed due to an accident resulting from a technical defect. As a result, Toyota Gazoo Racing Switzerland came away empty-handed in all six events in Europe. However, there are also positive feelings mixed in with the disappointment. The team was able to use the practice runs at both venues after fitting new tires to further develop the two Toyota GR Supras, which have a power output of around 1,000 hp.
Confident for the coming season
Yves Meyer: "This helped us a lot in terms of chassis and tire set-up. We had small mistakes in the car that had a big impact. That's the price we had to pay for developing the Toyota GR Supra ourselves. And when the cars were running, our driving qualities were lacking. In addition, the tires that had worked with the Toyota GT86s on fast tracks in the U.S. didn't fit the tighter courses in Europe. If we solve these problems together with Nexen, I'm confident for 2024."
