Kalle Rovanpera found answers to unlock speed on new WRC tyres
Kalle Rovanpera believes he’s started to unlock the secrets to speed on the new-for-2025 World Rally Championship tyres after dominating Friday morning to lead Rally Islas Canarias. The two-time world champion has endured a surprisingly slow start to the season having struggled to adapt his driving style to the new Hankook rubber that has contributed […]
Ogier to make WRC return in Canary Islands
Sebastien Ogier will contest the Rally Islas Canarias next month as Toyota will field five cars at the next round of the 2025 World Rally Championship season. The eight-time world champion is undertaking a partial campaign and the Spanish asphalt rally will be his second start of the year in what is the event’s WRC […]
Katsuta loses fifth after dramatic final-stage Safari Rally roll
A dramatic final-stage roll has forced Takamoto Katsuta to retire from fifth position at Safari Rally Kenya after failing to reach the final time control. Katsuta appeared to be on course to finish a highly commendable fourth in Kenya before drama struck on the 21st and final stage of the event. Read Also: Pushing for […]
Evans now leads toughest Safari Rally by two minutes but remains wary
Elfyn Evans says an almost two-minute lead is no guarantee of victory after wild conditions have rendered this year’s Safari Rally the toughest since the event rejoined the World Rally Championship. The WRC points leader survived incredibly challenging conditions to head into Sunday’s final five stages with a 1m57.4s lead over Hyundai’s Ott Tanak after […]
Zebra avoidance triggers costly puncture for Rovanpera at WRC Safari Rally
Kalle Rovanpera’s Safari Rally victory bid has been dented by a pair of costly punctures, the second caused by an off-road excursion to avoid a herd of zebra. The two-time world champion started Saturday 7.7 seconds behind leader and Toyota team-mate Elfyn Evans but ended the morning loop of stages, which featured tricky wet and […]
How Toyota plans to manage Rally Sweden grandstand finish
Toyota will need to think about “strategy for its drivers” as a grandstand finish awaits Rally Sweden with only three seconds splitting team-mates Elfyn Evans and Takamoto Katsuta. The Japanese marque has always operated a firm no team orders policy among its crews but team principal Jari-Matti Latvala has hinted that some form of strategy […]
Toyota lifts lid on near «impossible» mission to upgrade its WRC car
Toyota had to pull «some favours and tricks» to complete the almost «impossible» job of upgrading its World Rally Championship car following a late change in regulations for 2025. The reigning WRC manufacturers’ champion successfully debuted updates to its GR Yaris, which required spending three homologation jokers in Monte Carlo last week. A late change […]
Difficult WRC Monte Carlo opener “not a total disaster»
Kalle Rovanpera described his recovery to fourth in Monte Carlo as “not a total disaster” for the start of his pursuit of a third World Rally Championship title. Rovanpera has openly admitted that Monte Carlo is not among the events that suit him, but last weekend he struggled to perform to his own high standards on […]
Why Toyota believes Rovanpera’s WRC return will benefit Evans
Toyota expects Kalle Rovanpera’s return to a full-time World Rally Championship drive will make team-mate Elfyn Evans “much stronger” this year. The Japanese squad is gearing up to begin a tilt at both the drivers’ and manufacturers’ titles next week in Monte Carlo, with an expanded line-up that features four full-time drivers and a partial […]