Toyota looking to rent out the fourth Yaris in 2023

Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT is looking to rent out the fourth Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 for the 2023 FIA World Rally Championship season as part of a new business tool.

Among the WRC teams, M-Sport Ford WRT has become known for the fact that there is a place in the team if you are willing to pay for it. From the team, you can rent a car for a single event or buy a seat to drive for the full season. Many private drivers have also had the opportunity to claim the car as their own.

Toyota and Hyundai Shell Mobis WRT however have taken a stricter line, Toyota has only rented out a car three times before for a single event for Marcus Grönholm in Rally Sweden 2019, Jari-Matti Latvala in Rally Sweden 2020, and Esapekka Lappi in Rally Finland 2021.

Next year, Toyota´s fourth car may see different drivers when the seat will be open. The Japanese driver Takamoto Katusta will drive half of the season in the factory team´s third car and the other half outside the team in a similar fourth car. It´s when he is in the main team the car would be available to rent for privateers.

Toyota is taking the first steps toward the so called customer program. The team is also currently developing a Rally2 car, which is estimated to enter the market around 2024.

“It is now clear that our line-up is what we will go with for the season, but, of course we have been considering that – on [seven] events where we have a fourth car available – we would consider a renting option.” Latvala, TGR team principal, said.

“But this is purely on renting, nothing else, if there is somebody interested in renting a car, we are looking at that option. At this point we don’t currently know if it will happen, but we are of course collecting data to see if there are drivers who are interested in that. That fourth car that is a rental option is 100 per cent for business – we are not targeting to score points. We have got some requests but we have not made any decision at this point.”

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