TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Achieves Spectacular Victory in Rally México
09 Apr 2023
GR YARIS Rally1 Hybrid Electric Vehicles claim two podium spots and more valuable points to set the stage for a promising WRC season ahead
The TOYOTA GAZOO Racing (TGR) World Rally Team has scored a superb victory and double podium finish at Rally México, with Sébastien Ogier becoming the undisputed master of the gravel event in the No. 17 GR YARIS Rally1 Hybrid Electric Vehicle after his record seventh win.
In the FIA World Rally Championship’s first trip to the high-altitude stages in the mountains above León since 2020, the team performed strongly to lock out three of the top four positions in a thrilling conclusion that also saw Elfyn Evans finish third in the No. 33 GR YARIS Rally1 Hybrid Electric Vehicle and Kalle Rovanperä fourth in the No. 69 GR YARIS Rally1 Hybrid Electric Vehicle.
Having led from the first stage of Saturday morning, Ogier and co-driver Vincent Landais came into Sunday’s finale with a lead of 35.8 seconds. This cushion allowed them to take a safe approach to the morning’s stages, which included the longest of the weekend, the 35.63 kilometre-long Otates.
Ogier then delivered an incredible performance to seal the victory with the fastest time on the rally-ending Power Stage in the No. 17 GR YARIS Rally1 Hybrid Electric Vehicle, securing a maximum score that puts him top of the championship standings by three points despite having contested only two of the three events held so far.
Akio Toyoda, President of Toyota Motor Corporation and TGR Team Founder, said: “Sébastien, congratulations on your latest consecutive win in Mexico! Vincent, congratulations on your first victory there! This was the first Rally México with the GR YARIS Rally1 Hybrid Electric Vehicle, and I think the crews were able to drive with confidence in their engines thanks to the Denso radiator team’s ‘Rei-kyaku Damashii’ – the special name for their devotion to cooling, or ‘Cooling Spirit’. I would like to express my appreciation for their strong support and partnership with us. Elfyn, Scott, congratulations on your first podium of the season! The whole team will continue ever-better car-making for you.”
Over the years, Toyota has been participating in many different forms of motorsports, including Formula One, the World Endurance Championship (WEC), and the Nürburgring 24 Hours endurance race. Toyota’s participation in these events was overseen by separate entities within the company until April 2015, when Toyota established TGR, to consolidate all of its motorsport’s activities under one in-house brand. Representing Toyota’s belief that ‘the roads build the people, and the people build the cars,’ TGR highlights the role of motorsports as a fundamental pillar of Toyota’s commitment to making ‘ever-better’ cars. Harnessing years of experience gained under the extreme conditions of various motorsports events, TGR aims to forge new technologies and solutions that bring the freedom, adventure, and joy of driving to everyone.
The WRC championship resumes with the Croatia Rally from April 20-23. The first pure asphalt round of the season, the rally will take place in the capital city, Zagreb.
Race Notes:
- No. 17 GR YARIS Rally1 Hybrid Electric Vehicle (Sébastien Ogier & Vincent Landais)
- Position: 1st
- Time: 3h16m09.4s
- No. 33 GR YARIS Rally1 Hybrid Electric Vehicle (Elfyn Evans & Scott Martin)
- Position: 3rd
- Time: 3h:16m:37.3s