Kalle Rovanperä gave a real recital at the Swedish Rally to achieve victory behind the wheel of his Toyota GR Yaris Rally1. Success completed by Esapekka Lappi by finishing third, ahead of Takamoto Katsuta. At this point, several have been the voices have questioned the performance that Toyota would have had in case Elfyn Evans is the fourth classified, since Lappi only competes part-time and Evans is, on paper, a candidate for the title. Would Toyota then use team orders to prioritize its full-time driver?
As well, Jari-Matti Latvala has come out to step on this issue and wanted to clarify Toyota’s philosophy in the WRC. Philosophy that is summarized in that the structure will not use team orders during the championship and that they could only be used in crucial situations that may occur in the final stretch of the season. Although Toyota has always been characterized by letting its drivers compete freely, the presence in the team of pilots with partial programs such as Lappi and Ogier has drawn this unknown.
Around this question, Jari-Matti Latvala He has pointed out: “When I was a driver, I think everyone knows, I was not a fan of team orders. And that hasn’t changed now. Usually, none of us like team orders very much and if Lappi is leading a rally early in the season we are not going to do anythingamong other things because he can add up the points for the team and this is very important. If he is ahead of Kalle or Elfyn I don’t think we have to do anything».
«I don’t think we have to give any team order in the situation I’m drawing. In fact, for me, resorting to team orders is something that could only be done at the end of the yearwhen you have to secure the championship» added Jari-Matti Latvala who was very satisfied with Toyota’s start to the season, both for Sébastien Ogier’s performance at the Monte Carlo Rally and for the double podium of Kalle Rovanperä and Esapekka Lappi in Sweden.
Yes indeed, the situation is very different for the two ‘greyhounds’ of Toyota fighting for the WRC title. Kalle Rovanperä occupies the leading position with 46 points after achieving victory in Sweden and adding a fourth place with all the extra points of the Power Stage in Monte Carlo. For its part, Elfyn Evans adds just 4 units after finishing second in the bonus section of the first round of the World Cup, since in Sweden he left with zero points in his locker.
Photos: FIA WRC