Toyota Gazoo Racing return to South America this week to compete in Rally Chile, the 11th occasion within the 13-round 2023 FIA World Rally Championship, going down from 28 September to 1 October.
This might be Chile’s second WRC occasion, following the championship’s debut go to 4 years in the past when Toyota Gazoo Racing World Rally Crew (TGR-WRT) claimed victory.
After a most rating final day out in Greece, the group lead the producers’ standings by 91 factors and can take the crown in Chile if they’ll outscore Hyundai by 13 factors or extra.
Within the drivers’ championship, team-mates Kalle Rovanperä and Elfyn Evans are separated by 33 factors, with the identical hole again to third-placed Thierry Neuville of Hyundai – the one different driver nonetheless in mathematical competition for the title. Chile thus provides Rovanperä his first likelihood to be topped champion for a second time.
Takamoto Katsuta completes the group’s line-up in Chile, the place he claimed WRC 2 class honours in 2019, simply as Rovanperä took the WRC 2 Professional class victory. Evans completed fourth total, then driving for M-Sport Ford.
As in 2019, the occasion might be based mostly within the metropolis of Concepción, positioned about 320 miles south of the Chilean capital, Santiago. A ceremonial begin might be held on Thursday night in Los Ángeles, capital of the Biobío province, earlier than three days of motion within the forests of the broader area, that includes medium-fast levels on easy and compact gravel roads. There are 16 levels and 200 aggressive miles in whole.
A lot of the route is new, as mirrored by Friday’s repeated loop of three levels to the south-east of Concepción, the place solely the primary half of the opening stage has been pushed beforehand – in the other way. Saturday’s route, then again, is sort of an identical to 2019 with one other trio of assessments run twice to the south of town, overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Sunday’s motion takes place in unfamiliar territory simply to the east of Concepción, with a pair of levels to each be pushed twice.
Crew quotes
Jari-Matti Latvala (Crew Principal): “After the nice end result for the group in Greece, it’s trying good for us in all of the championships however with three occasions to go, there’s nonetheless some vital work to do to safe the titles and proceed maximising our outcomes. It’s going to be attention-grabbing to return to Chile. I drove the rally with the group again in 2019 and it’s a a lot smoother and quicker gravel occasion in comparison with Greece. The roads are a little bit of a mix of the traits you could find in Finland, Wales and even New Zealand. There are some actually technical sections as nicely, so there are roads which can be quick and flowing and others that are twisting and turning on a regular basis. It needs to be an excellent occasion and one the place we hope to do nicely with all three of our crews.”
Kalle Rovanperä (driver automobile 69): “Greece was an excellent end result for us and the championship is trying higher for us once more, however we have to focus laborious for the subsequent occasion as a result of Rally Chile goes to be one other large problem. The final time we had been there, I used to be driving a Rally2 automobile and we had an excellent weekend. However I believe that after 4 years and with lots of new levels, it will really feel extra like a brand new rally anyway and it’s going to be a difficult occasion for everybody. The roads are good however the situations could be very difficult and the grip can change so much. Nonetheless, I’m trying ahead to it and hope it may be an excellent rally for us.”
Elfyn Evans (driver automobile 33): “Rally Chile was a pleasant occasion after we went there for the primary time again in 2019 but in addition a really difficult one. The roads remind me a little bit of Wales in factors, however the rally might be taking place at a unique time of yr on this event and only some of the levels would be the identical. It’s going to nearly be like a brand new rally with lots of new tempo notes to jot down, so it might be a troublesome week. There isn’t a lot information from the previous we will use, however I’m trying ahead to it nonetheless. We’re going to provide it all the things, as we’ll maintain doing till the top of the yr.”
Takamoto Katsuta (driver automobile 18): “It’s going to be a giant problem for all of us to return to Chile after 4 years. I’ve some good recollections from there in 2019 after we had an excellent weekend in WRC 2. In fact, I haven’t been there in a top-category automobile earlier than, in order that might be an additional problem for me. The roads are fairly quick but in addition very difficult, and there might be lots of new levels this time. It’s going to be a vital rally for the group and for me additionally. It received’t be simple however I’ll attempt to do my finest and hopefully we will have an excellent weekend.”
ENDS
