STI NBR CHALLENGE

After being unable to participate in 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, STI returned to the Nürburgring 24-Hour Race for the first time in three years.

The SUBARU/STI team entered the SUBARU WRX STI in the SP3T class of the 50th Nürburgring 24-Hour Race, held from May 26 to 29, with the goal of securing its seventh class victory. The driver lineup included Carlo van Dam, Tim Schrick, Marcel Lasée, and Kota Sasaki.
However, a crash caused irreparable damage during the race, forcing the team to make the difficult decision to retire.

In the third official qualifying session on Friday, May 27, the SUBARU WRX STI secured 1st place in the SP3T class and 58th overall, earning the class pole position for the start. Starting driver Van Dam set a strong pace, closing in on the race leaders before handing over to Schrick, Lasée, and Sasaki. Despite multiple double yellow flags and Code 60 following several crashes, the SUBARU WRX STI maintained consistent lap times and climbed to 38th overall by 2:00 AM after 10 hours of racing.

At 2:50 AM, Sasaki radioed in: “I was going down a long downhill at full throttle in 6th gear when a tire suddenly burst. I hit the guardrail on the right and came to a stop on the left side of the course.” The incident occurred just after the 6-km marker at a left-hand corner.
Sasaki returned to the paddock shortly after 5:00 AM, followed by the car on a tow truck. Both front wheels were severely damaged, and the right rear suspension arm was bent. Fortunately, Sasaki was unharmed despite traveling at over 250 km/h at the time of the accident.
The frame was damaged when the right side of the body struck the guardrail, making repairs impossible during the race. Just before 6:00 AM, the team decided to retire.

Comment from Team Director Hideharu Tatsumi:
“The crash was caused by a burst wheel resulting from fatigue fractures in the ball joint connecting the left front hub and suspension arm. We sent the affected components to the manufacturer for analysis, and it is clear the accident was due to insufficient strength of that component. I take full responsibility for the entire race car and sincerely apologize to all SUBARU fans and supporting partners who had high expectations.”
“Nevertheless, we gained valuable insights this year—starting with maintaining speed despite an 80 kg increase in vehicle weight. Regulations require a minimum weight increase when using wider tires, but we saw this as an opportunity to reinforce the frame. This 80 kg was distributed with 36 kg at the front and 44 kg at the rear, creating a well-balanced reinforcement. Judging from lap times, this was the right decision and will benefit future development.”
“On the other hand, managing tire pressures and selecting spring rates proved challenging due to the weight increase and larger tires. These issues could only be reproduced on the Nordschleife (“North Loop”), with its many undulations and jumps, providing new learning opportunities. We consider this experience invaluable for the team’s future. SUBARU/STI will continue to focus on technological development and talent cultivation through Nürburgring races.”