Akio Toyoda: Something missing in the Yaris WRC

Toyota Motor Corporation president Akio Toyoda says the Yaris WRC car that his company uses to compete in the World Rally Championship is “missing something”, which contributed to Toyota’s failure to win the manufacturers’ title this year.

Toyoda was making a statement after the Monza Rally rounding up Toyota Gazoo Racing’s 2020 season and congratulating those involved in the Tommi Mäkinen-led project before it is taken over by TMC in 2021.

The team claimed its second drivers’ title in a row this year with new signing Sébastien Ogier and his co-driver Julien Ingrassia, and also had one of its cars filling the runner-up spot with Elfyn Evans, but lost out to Hyundai Motorsport when it came to manufacturers honors.

The final third of Toyota’s 2020 line-up additions was Kalle Rovanperä, who finished fifth in the points with one podium, while the manufacturer’s Japanese protégé Takamoto Katsuta took a best finish of seventh from his part-time campaign.

“Congratulations to Sébastien and Julien for their victory in Monza and the 2020 championship!” said Toyoda.

“One of the team members sent me a picture of Sébastien which was taken one minute before he left the service park. He was still checking the stage data until the very last minute he had to leave.

“I also received another picture of him between stages: Even during the rally, he was answering Takamoto’s questions thoroughly and politely.

“Of course, I’m very happy for his championship title, but when I saw these pictures I felt even happier. Thank you for choosing our team and fighting with us.

“Unfortunately, we were not able to achieve the manufacturers’ title. I think that’s because there is still something missing in our Yaris WRC, and also as a team.”

The COVID-19 pandemic meant testing was reduced this year and between the first three rallies and the fourth, Rally Estonia in September, Ogier and Evans only got to try the Yaris WRC extensively in a Finland test and on the South Estonia Rally.

While the flowing Finland roads should have helped Toyota’s preparation for Estonia, rival Hyundai improved its car’s handling and aerodynamic ability for high-speed gravel events and it won in Ott Tänak’s home country.

Toyota struck back in Turkey, a rally of attrition that put Evans into the points lead with victory, while a road-order advantage vaulted Hyundai’s Dani Sordo into an early lead on Rally Italy that he converted into a win.

This meant it was a battle for second place between the full-time drivers, and Ogier lost out to Sordo’s team-mate Thierry Neuville in a powerstage battle. Afterwards he said he knew his car couldn’t beat Neuville’s on the “extreme” roads.

Evans was set for the title until he crashed out of the Monza season finale, which not only cost him a first world championship crown but also contributed to Toyota’s five-point end-of-season deficit to Hyundai.

“Elfyn might be thinking that it was because of his retirement before the end of Saturday. But it was he himself who had the toughest moment due to the incident, as the possibility for him to become champion suddenly looked unlikely,” Toyoda added.

“However, the first thing he said when he was back in the service park was that he was very sorry for the team, that he couldn’t contribute towards the title. It is quite disappointing that we missed it, but I was moved to see his team spirit.

“Kalle also showed us a great development this year and so did Takamoto, who won the powerstage in Monza against the top drivers! I am really happy to have all the crews in our team and to see them fight together through this tough year.

“Thank you very much for drivers, co-drivers, mechanics, engineers, and all other team staff.

“This was the last rally for Tommi as the team principal. I am very grateful to work with him.

“When we decided to go back to the WRC, I asked him to help develop a car and to build a team. To be honest, I was thinking that my request was a bit too much of a challenge.

“But he did it with only a year of preparation, and the team already came in second place in its debut round and won the next round in Sweden.

“We experienced many difficulties after that, but every single experience had meaning and made our cars stronger. It is one of my best memories that we climbed up the roof of Yaris WRC together when we won Rally Finland in 2018.”