Toyota Gazoo hits the snow at WRC

Toyota GAZOO was consistent in their efforts at the Dakar Rally, but how did they perform at the WRC?
Well, the news is good after Esapekka Lappi, who competed on the snow for the first-time, led his team to a winning trifecta in the second-last stage before winning the final stage to bring his overall result up from sixth to fourth place. Racing newbie Ott Tänak, from Estonia, won a total of six stages including the first two stages of the event.

At the end of it all, Toyota WRC celebrated all three of their entrants finishing in the top nine. Team Principal Tommi Mäkinen praised his team’s performances on the final day. “Esapekka was very quick today to gain two positions and win the Power Stage,” he said. “We must not forget it was his first time on snow in a WRC car and next year for sure he will be even stronger.”
Esapekka Lappi shared his principal’s sentiment. “To get the Power Stage win and gain two places today was very good,” he said. “Overall, the rally was quite strong; I wasn’t expecting this kind of speed from my side.”
Ott Tänak attributed his win to improved road position and pace on the day. “This was my first rally in the Toyota WRC with a gravel-style set-up and we have learned a lot of things,” he said.
Jari-Matti Latvala, last year’s winner of Rally Sweden, finished day four strongly. “The team did a good job and the car was handling very well,” he said. “It was both quick and reliable, and that is important.”
Toyota GAZOO Racing now heads to the first gravel event of the season, Rally Mexico on March 8 to 11 – where off-season development on the Yaris WRC engine cooling system will be tested in high-ambient temperatures and at high altitude.