DirtFish understands Toyota has started work on its Yaris Rally3 car – electing to prioritize that car over its Rally2 machine.
The Japanese manufacturer is keen to expand its range of rally cars and has been investigating the potential to build a four-wheel drive, class-based Yaris for customers for the last 12 months. Moving the team’s operation back to Jyväskylä will help speed the design and build process for the new cars, the first of which is understood likely to be ready in time for early next season.
Team principal Jari-Matti Latvala wouldn’t be drawn on specifics of either a Yaris Rally2 or Rally3 but admitted the latter would be coming first.
“I think we can say Rally3 is closer than Rally2,” he told DirtFish.
“For Rally2, we are waiting on some decisions on the technical regulations – we know that hybrid could be coming [for Rally2] and we need to understand more from the FIA about that before we commit more.”
Latvala denied Rally3 cars were actually in build, adding: “We’re not there yet. We have looked into the details and into the regulations for this car and we are continuing to do that. Hopefully we will have some details to confirm soon, but so far nothing is sorted.”
