Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 to make Rallye Monte-Carlo debut for 2022 WRC

MANILA: The Toyota Gazoo Racing World Rally Team will usher in a new era in the FIA World Rally Championship for the start of the 2022 season, when the GR Yaris Rally1 will makes it first appearance at the iconic Rallye Monte-Carlo from January 20 to 23.

The GR Yaris Rally1 is the successor of the all-conquering Yaris WRC, which won the manufacturers’, drivers’, and co-drivers’ championships in the 2021 season, which ended just eight weeks ago in Monza, Italy. The first event for the innovative Rally1 cars, which take over from the World Rally Cars, will take place on the roads of the French Alps.

The introduction of hybrid technology to the highest level of rallying in Rally1 cars is the most significant upgrade from their predecessors. Each car’s hybrid unit consists of a 3.9-kWh battery and a motor-generator unit (MGU) that generates an additional 100kW under acceleration.

In the GR Yaris Rally1, this is paired with the 1.6-liter turbocharged engine from the Yaris WRC, giving the drivers over 500ps. This engine will be the first to use 100% sustainable fuel in an FIA world championship.

The GR Yaris Rally1 is based upon a dedicated spaceframe chassis, which provides greater safety for drivers and co-drivers. A return to a mechanical gearshift and the removal of the active center differential are among the other changes required by the rules. As a result of these transformations, the focus will be on the drivers’ skills as they have to adjust to the demands of regenerating and using hybrid energy during the stages, as well as collaborate with their engineers to optimize performance and drivability within these new parameters.

The GR Yaris Rally1 has completed a rigorous testing program, with the last few weeks concentrating on the specific demands of Rallye Monte-Carlo. The event is known for its unpredictable conditions, which can range from dry asphalt to snow and ice, and could present a particularly difficult start for those driving new cars.

The GR Yaris Rally1 of defending champion Sebastien Ogier will be the first of the new generation of cars to undertake a competitive stage when the rally starts on Thursday. The eight-time world champion, who also won the Rally Monte-Carlo a record eight times, will compete in a partial schedule with his new co-driver, Benjamin Veillas. Elfyn Evans and co-driver Scott Martin, who placed second in the 2021 season, and Kalle Rovanpera and his co-driver Jonne Halttunen, who came fourth overall last season, will spearhead Toyota Gazoo Racing’s campaign during the course of the season.

In a statement, Ogier said, “I’m at the beginning of a different stage in my career, and as I’m not taking part in the full championship, the feeling is a little bit different to usual for me at this time of the year, but being part of this program with Toyota Gazoo Racing is still exciting and going to Rallye Monte-Carlo is always special for me. I’m still a competitor and I still want to win, so I will be giving my best to perform. I know the team has been working very hard to be ready with this new generation of car and big steps have been made in every test.”

Each round will feature four GR Yaris Rally1 cars, with Takamoto Katsuta and co-driver Aaron Johnston competing for a newly formed team, the Toyota Gazoo Racing World Rally Team Next Generation.

The crews conducted three days of stage reconnaissance with 85% of the stages being new compared to 2021. The service park is moving from Gap to Monaco for the 90^th edition of the event. After a warmup on Thursday morning, the rally will commence in the evening from the Casino Square, with an opening pair of night stages – the second of which involves a return to the Col de Turini, which will be passed in darkness for the first time since 2013.

There will be no midday service on Friday — only a tire-fitting zone in Puget Theniers, and three stages will be run twice. On Saturday, three stages will be conducted in the morning, with two of them being repeated in the afternoon following a tire-fitting zone in Digne-les-Bains. The final day on Sunday will be made up of two stages performed twice — second stage finishing at Entevaux is the only one similar to last year.

“Rallying is entering a very new era and it’s a very exciting moment,” Toyota Gazoo Racing World Rally Team Principal Jari-Matti Latvala stated. “For a driver, Monte Carlo has always been the most difficult rally in the championship. A lot is going to depend on the conditions: We have more power, but how do you use that power in snowy and icy conditions? On top of everything, the move from Gap to Monaco means there are a lot of new stages. There are so many unknowns and that makes it really exciting.”

Photos from Toyota

Also read: Just for Japan: Meet Toyota's race and rally-modified GRMN Yaris