Toyota's Triumph at the 2022 Rally de Portugal with GR Yaris Rally1

Introduction to Gazoo Racing

If you weren’t aware as yet, Gazoo Racing is Toyota's racing division. It has multiple victories under its belt, while its World Rally Team (WRT) is one of the best in the world. At the fourth round of the 2022 FIA World Rally Championship (WRC), which took place at the Rally de Portugal on a gravel track, the amazing GR Yaris Rally1 finished with a marvelous one-two finish. Kalle Rovanpera came in third, just ahead of his teammate Elfyn Evans. Overall, this led to Toyota scoring 59 points at the Manufacturers’ Championship.

The Rally Performance

Stage Victories

Out of the 19 stages across the rally, the GR Yaris Rally1 won an astonishing 15 races – becoming THE car to beat. It's noteworthy that the GR Yaris Rally1 is a hybrid electric-powered vehicle. On the very first day of the race, Evans (driving the No. 33 car) fought hard with his teammate Rovanpera, who became the championship leader with his No. 69 car, marking his first-ever victory in his career so far.

Day Two Highlights

Regardless of the weather conditions on the second day of racing, Rovanpera took the lead. Along with his co-driver Jonne Halttunen, Rovanpera won the second-to-last stage and the Power Stage of the rally. This means they managed to score a respectable 46 points after wins in three of the first four events. Meanwhile, Evans and co-driver Scott Martin finished 15.2 seconds away from victory.

Comments from Toyota's Leadership

Akio Toyoda, the President and CEO of Toyota Motor Corporation, expressed his thoughts: “Kalle, Jonne, congratulations! It is amazing to achieve three consecutive victories, especially as it was done on snow, asphalt, and gravel rallies. I truly thank them for proving that the GR Yaris Rally1 is the vehicle that can win on any type of road. Also, it was great to have a one-two finish, and I thank Elfyn, Scott, and everybody on the team for the outstanding performance that saw Toyota completing the first third of the season leading the championship standings. I appreciate our fans’ continuous support that inspires us to strive to make our vehicle the strongest at the end of the season.”

Toyota's Motorsports Legacy

This is not Toyota's first foray into motorsports. The Japanese giant has competed in the 24 hours at the infamous Nürburgring, the World Endurance Championship (WEC), and Formula One. Until April 2015, Toyota relied on third-party entities, with the now-famous Gazoo Racing division established post that period. The fascinating Gazoo Racing symbolizes Toyota's philosophy that “the roads build the people, and the people build the cars.” Over the years, Toyota (along with its GR division) has rolled out incredible cars known for their outstanding driving experience at an incredible price.

Current Standings

As of May 26th, Kalle Rovanpera and Jonne Halttunen (No. 69) are in first position, with a time of 3 hours, 44 minutes, 19.2 seconds. Meanwhile, Elfyn Evans & Scott Martin (No. 33) are in second position, with a time of 3 hours, 44 minutes, 34.4 seconds.