Toyota Rally2 car to make WRC debut in Monte Carlo

The Japanese marque has been growing a Rally2 model of its GR Yaris since 2022 because it bids to affix the client rally automobile market.

Now the GR Yaris Rally2 has been granted homologation from the FIA, Toyota will be a part of WRC rivals Hyundai and M-Sport Ford within the Rally2 enviornment, alongside Skoda and Citroen.

The GR Yaris Rally2 has been primarily developed for buyer rallying. Chairman Akio Toyoda hopes this would be the automobile to make Toyota’s first step in constructing a bridge between motorsport automobiles and manufacturing automobiles by means of rally competitors.

The automobile made its public debut at Rally Japan in 2022 and has since undergone an in depth growth programme forward of the FIA homologation, which started late final yr.

Toyota has acquired plenty of suggestions from the various drivers who’ve examined the Rally2 automobile on totally different surfaces and in numerous circumstances. Greater than 15,000 kilometres have been coated, together with participation within the Japanese Rally Championship which additionally served as testing on Japanese roads.

Photograph by: Toyota

Toyota GR Yaris Rally2

Toyota’s WRC crew principal Jari-Matti Latvala has performed an lively function within the growth of the GR Yaris Rally2. The 18-time WRC rally winner drove the automobile ultimately yr’s Goodwood Pageant of Pace, earlier than piloting it to victory at Rally Hokkaido in Japan.

Talking after his victory within the automobile at Rally Hokkaido, he mentioned: “To start with, it’s totally straightforward to drive. Each buyer sooner or later, when this automobile comes, will be capable of adapt to this automobile very simply.”

The primary GR Yaris Rally2 is ready to be delivered to ROOKIE Racing, a crew led by Toyoda himself.

Whereas the entry listing for Monte Carlo is but to be revealed, Toyota has revealed that 4 groups will debut the automobile within the WRC curtain-raiser in Monte Carlo from 25-28 January.  

It’s identified that Toyota’s WRC Problem Programme graduates Hikaru Kogure and Yuki Yamamoto will contest WRC2 campaigns behind the wheel of the GR Yaris Rally2 this yr.