Toyota boss to race the Ring

The man credited with leading development of the breakthrough Lexus IS-F - which was built to challenge the benchmark BMW M3 - is also pushing hard to get the Lexus LF-A into production.

Toyoda is even doing testing on the 300km/h supercar himself.

But the 52-year-old grandson of Toyota's founder, who will become the CEO and president of the world's largest car company later this year, is not just grinding around a proving ground.

Toyoda is racing an LF-A.

The entry list for this year's classic Nurburgring 24-Hour race includes a driver called 'Morizo' in one of the two LF-As to be fielded by the Japanese GAZOO Racing team on May 23-24.

But Morizo is actually Toyoda.

That means the Nurburgring entry is a very big deal, right down to the bodyguards who will accompany Morizo-Toyoda through the event.

Toyoda has used the fake name twice before to race on the full Nurburgring north course, although last year his stealth fighter-black LF-A was one of the first cars to strike trouble in the 24-hour race.

This time around the LF-A entry is bigger and official, and there will also be an IS-F in the GAZOO team.

Toyoda is one of four drivers in his car and will share with Andre Lotterer, a one-time Jaguar F1 test driver who also leads Toyota's effort in the Japanese SuperGT championship.

Morizo's official profile gives a Japlish twist on what Toyoda is doing, and why:

"He is a well-known driver at GAZOO Racing. He grips the steering with the great wish to increase car fan and inform fun of run. He participate in Nurburgring continue Year 2007 and Year 2008."