TOP PAGE
ENGLISH
JAPANESE
|
CONNECT WITH US:
Home
About
Services
Contact
Log in
*
Home
Press release
Oct 07, 2021 17:12 JST
Source:
Toyota Motor Corporation
TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Counts on Proven Winners for a New WRC Era
Lappi joins Ogier, Evans and Rovanpera to form 2022 line-up
TOKYO, Oct 07, 2021 - (JCN Newswire) - The TOYOTA GAZOO Racing World Rally Team will enter a new era of the FIA World Rally Championship relying on a strong driver line-up of proven winners across its three full-season manufacturer entries in 2022.
TOYOTA GAZOO Racing WRT drivers
Elfyn Evans and Kalle Rovanpera will contest every event in the new hybrid Rally1 car after signing new contracts with the team, while multiple world champion Sebastien Ogier will also continue to compete for Toyota in selected rounds even as he steps back from full-time rallying. To complete the high-calibre line-up, Esapekka Lappi makes a welcome return to the team to share a car with Ogier during the season.
TOYOTA GAZOO Racing now heads into a crucial phase of development and competition with the new-for-2022 technical regulations knowing it can count on four drivers who have all previously won rallies for the team and helped it towards championship success.
Evans joined the team at the beginning of 2020 and soon proved himself to be a championship contender, claiming wins in Sweden and Turkey and ultimately finishing runner-up to Ogier in a contest that went right down to the final round. After also winning in Portugal earlier this season and then at Rally Finland last weekend, the 32-year-old Welshman and his co-driver Scott Martin remain in contention for this year's title with two rounds remaining.
Rovanpera has adapted impressively since stepping up to rallying's highest level with the team last season. The 21-year-old from Finland, co-driven by Jonne Halttunen, recently became the youngest ever winner in the history of the WRC when he claimed a dominant victory at Rally Estonia, and followed that up with an impressive triumph on the Acropolis Rally in Greece, cementing his reputation as the sport's most exciting young prospect.
Ogier claimed his seventh world championship title in 2020 in his first season driving the Toyota Yaris WRC. Having decided to extend his full-time WRC career for one more year into 2021, the Frenchman, 37, currently leads the standings by 24 points with two rounds remaining after taking victories in Monte Carlo, Croatia, Sardinia and Kenya so far. As he looks to make time for other activities outside of rallying, the exact events that Ogier will contest next season will be determined at a later date.
Julien Ingrassia, who has been alongside Ogier as his co-driver for all of his victories and championships, will bring the curtain down on his hugely-successful career at the end of 2021. Taking his place will be Benjamin Veillas, who has already worked closely with Ogier for several years in tests and as part of his gravel crew on events.
Lappi was part of the team's line-up in its inaugural season in 2017, and claimed a memorable maiden victory on home soil at Rally Finland in just his fourth start at the highest level. In 2018 his three podium finishes helped Toyota to win the manufacturers' championship before he moved on to other challenges. Together with co-driver Janne Ferm, the 30-year-old returned behind the wheel of a Toyota Yaris WRC last week with a privateer entry on Rally Finland, finishing a strong fourth overall, and now rejoins the team on a permanent basis for the WRC's new era.
For more information, visit
https://toyotagazooracing.com/wrc/release/2021/1007-01/
.
Source: Toyota Motor Corporation
Sectors: Automotive
Copyright ©2024 JCN Newswire. All rights reserved. A division of Japan Corporate News Network.
Related Press Release
Toyota Exhibiting at Beijing Motor Show 2024
April 25 2024 15:25 JST
TOYOTA GAZOO Racing takes a one-two in Croatian thriller
April 22 2024 09:47 JST
Toyota Launches All-New Land Cruiser "250" Series in Japan
April 18 2024 12:39 JST
Lexus presents Time at the 2024 Milan Design Week
April 16 2024 17:49 JST
New circuit challenge for TOYOTA GAZOO Racing
April 15 2024 16:21 JST
TOYOTA GAZOO Racing back on asphalt for Croatian challenge
April 12 2024 18:36 JST
Daihatsu and Toyota to Reform Structures towards the Revitalization of Daihatsu
April 08 2024 12:37 JST
Toyota Completes Toyota Technical Center Shimoyama Research and Development Facility for Making Ever-better Cars
April 02 2024 10:28 JST
TOYOTA GAZOO Racing roars to fourth successive Safari triumph
April 01 2024 09:47 JST
Toyota Releases Sales, Production, and Export Results for February 2024
March 28 2024 12:35 JST
More Press release >>
Latest Press Release
JCB enables JCB Contactless acceptance at Taichung MRT in Taiwan
Apr 26, 2024 10:00 JST
Mazda Production and Sales Results for March 2024 and for April 2023 through March 2024
Apr 25, 2024 18:21 JST
MHI Begins Operation of SOEC Test Module the Next-Generation High-Efficiency Hydrogen Production Technology at Takasago Hydrogen Park
Apr 25, 2024 17:45 JST
GAC Honda to Begin Sales of All-new e:NP2, the Second Model of e:N Series
Apr 25, 2024 16:50 JST
Toyota Exhibiting at Beijing Motor Show 2024
Apr 25, 2024 16:25 JST
Honda Reaches Basic Agreement with Asahi Kasei on Collaboration for Production of Battery Separators for Automotive Batteries in Canada
Apr 25, 2024 11:10 JST
UNIQLO Sponsors KAWS + Warhol Exhibition Tour, Starting in Pittsburgh
Apr 25, 2024 09:00 JST
Mitsubishi Power Begins Commercial Operation of Seventh M701JAC Gas Turbine in Thailand GTCC Project; Achieves 75,000 AOH To-Date
Apr 24, 2024 17:19 JST
MC and Denka Sign J/V Agreement in Fullerene Business
Apr 24, 2024 17:02 JST
Mitsubishi Motors Posts Record Sales in the Philippines in FY2023
Apr 24, 2024 13:56 JST
NEC Develops High-speed Generative AI Large Language Models (LLM) with World-class Performance
Apr 24, 2024 13:25 JST
Fujitsu SX Survey reveals key success factors for sustainability
Apr 23, 2024 10:25 JST
Fujitsu and METRON collaborate to drive ESG success: slashing energy costs, boosting productivity with new manufacturing industry solutions
Apr 22, 2024 16:09 JST
NEC Strengthens Commitment to Space Industry with Investment in Seraphim Space Venture Fund II
Apr 22, 2024 15:09 JST
Soft Space Launches the First and Only JCB Payment Gateway in Malaysia
Apr 22, 2024 15:00 JST
TOYOTA GAZOO Racing takes a one-two in Croatian thriller
Apr 22, 2024 10:47 JST
First-ever Mazda CX-80 Crossover SUV Unveiled in Europe
Apr 19, 2024 13:50 JST
Fujitsu develops technology to convert corporate digital identity credentials, enabling participation of non-European companies in European data spaces
Apr 19, 2024 10:17 JST
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and NGK to Jointly Develop Hydrogen Purification System from Ammonia Cracking Gas
Apr 18, 2024 17:01 JST
Toyota Launches All-New Land Cruiser "250" Series in Japan
Apr 18, 2024 13:39 JST
More Latest Release >>