Lexus RC F GT3, a brand built for challenges
The adventure began in August 2013 when a fluorescent orange test mule with a striking aerodynamic kit and generous openings on the front bonnet began a long series of tests on the Suzuka and Fuji circuits. Shortly afterwards, the car recorded its first wins for Tom's team.
The official prototype of the RC F GT3, the fruit of a partnership between Lexus International and Tecnocraft - an internal tuning house and subsidiary of the Japanese brand - was presented at the Geneva Motor Show in 2014 It has a white, almost celestial, livery.
The RC F GT3 weighs just 1250 kg and is powered by a modified version of the 5-litre V8 now capable of delivering over 540 HP. The interior has been completely stripped and modified; it consists almost entirely of carbon fibre panels that help stabilise the performance at excellent levels.
It is 4700 mm long, 2000 wide and 1270 high; its aerodynamic features have been developed to comply with FIA class regulations, allowing it to compete in a wide range of events. It was designed to devour the turns of the world's most famous circuits and, although it's very different in nature from the RC F on public sale, it sports the same style and very markedly retains the original design.
In the weeks following the presentation, about 30 teams - from Europe, Asia, Japan and the US - expressed a keen interest in the car and in the 2015 season the brand multiplied its efforts to support them in various GT3 competitions around the world. One of the first to choose Lexus and decide to take to race it was the Swiss team Emil Frey Racing, which, in the same year, also offered the chance for some lucky people to drive on the famous Goodwood Festival of Speed track. Thanks to the Swiss team, Lexus became the first Asian manufacturer to win a VLN Endurance Championship race, conquering the top step of the podium on the demanding Nürburgring on 8 October 2016.
At the end of November and the beginning of December, the RC F GT3 officially débuted in the US. It underwent lengthy tests at the Daytona International Speedway in preparation for the year to come.
If 2016 was therefore a year that we could call sabbatical, 2017 was a year when we saw the results. The real RC F GT3 arrived, the official one: dark and carbon coloured. The first race of the year was the 24 Hours of Daytona, where two cars - on track in the colours of 3GT Racing - finished well. In the meantime, in Europe, in the hands of Fernbacher Racing and Emil Frey Racing, the new Lexus moved from VLN Endurance races to GT3, ones, including the International GT Open Series. It started with a bang: three wins in the first three races. It also enjoyed an excellent début at Silverstone: the cars of Emil Frey Racing cars grabbed a double podium giving the team entry to the prestigious Blancpain GT Series.
The 2018 the season also got off to an excellent start with two RC F GT3s driven by the Swiss team in all ten Blancpain events. A well-deserved and memorable victory came courtesy of the drivers Marco Seefried, Christian Klien and Albert Costa, after six hours racing on the Paul Ricard circuit. The car only slipped into first place half a lap from the chequered flag. The following races, first at Misano and then at Spa-Francorchamps, served to further consolidate the team's already stable position in the standings. At the end of the season a splendid third place showed off the speed and reliability of this fantastic car.
This year Lexus has partnered with the new team created by Aim Vasser Sullivan to race two cars in the GTD class of the IMSA WeatherTech Championship. It is also competing in the Blancpain GT Series with Fabien Barthez - yes, the former France goalkeeper - Eric Cayrolle and Bernhard Dehlez.
