Toyota Gazoo Racing has started the 2022 WRC season with a bang. The Japanese brand achieved a positive second place with the Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 on its debut at the Monte Carlo Rally in the hands of Sébastien Ogier, in addition to adding a double podium in Sweden. Kalle Rovanperä claimed victory and Esapekka Lappi was third to confirm the good wicks of Toyota’s ‘Rally1’. The car works on snow and on asphaltso the manufacturer is in a privileged position in the World Cup.
Among other things because of the lack of gravel, which will not reach Portugal, the black tar is once again the protagonist in the Rally of Croatia. A test in which the Toyota contingent will be formed by the leader Kalle Rovanperä, the Welshman Elfyn Evans and the Finnish Esapekka Lappi. Three drivers who are not specialists on asphalt on paper, but who have what it takes to hit the table and impose the Toyota law on a rally in which last year the firm achieved a great double with Ogier and Evans.
Kalle Rovanperä starts the Rally of Croatia as leader, opening the track in the first stage: «The wait to get in the car has been very long.. We’ve only had two rallies so far, but it’s always good to have two good results to start the season. We are in the same situation as last year, leaders upon our arrival in Croatia. We hope we can do better this time. It will be a big challenge because we were barely able to ride last year, so we have less experience than our rivals. The previous test was positive and there has been progress on the car».
in antagonistic position, Elfyn Evans arrives with only four points in the locker to Croatia: «It’s been a pretty long break since the last rally, so it’s been good to get back in the car. It has not been the beginning of the year that we wanted and we must concentrate on performing in the next events. Croatia is not an easy rally but it was good for us last year. There are some things from last year that we have tried to learn from in order to have a more flexible car. In our tests we rode in a section with very little grip, something that we are going to have in the rally».
The also Finnish completes the lineup of Toyota Esapekka Lappi: «Sweden was a great start to the season. Croatia will be a completely new rally for me. The car felt very good in testing. It’s been a while since I’ve driven on tarmac and the grip these cars have on this surface is crazy. I think I have better appreciated the additional power of the hybrid system. The sections have crests and jumps, something that is not common on asphalt. There is also a lot of dirt on the stages and little grip. I want to do well.”
Photos: Toyota Gazoo Racing