Toyota: Ogier leads new WRC trio 🎥
THREE NEW DRIVERS Toyota is contesting the 2020 World Rally Championship with a completely new line-up. The spearhead is six-time world champion Sébastien Ogier. His previous Citroën team is withdrawing from the WRC. The three new Toyota WRC drivers Sébastien Ogier, Elfyn Evans and Kalle Rovanperä introduce themselves in the video. The World Rally Championship (WRC) has seen a spectacular castling. After [...]
The three new Toyota WRC drivers Sébastien Ogier, Elfyn Evans and Kalle Rovanperä introduce themselves in the video.
The World Rally Championship (WRC) has seen a spectacular shake-up. Following the departure of this year's world champion Ott Tänak to Hyundai, Sébastien Ogier will take the Estonian's place in a Toyota Yaris WRC. At the same time, Ogier's previous employers Citroën, who were unable to keep their compatriot on board due to a lack of prospects of success, are drawing the consequences and withdrawing from the WRC.
From Volkswagen to Ford and Toyota
Sébastien Ogier was world champion four times with Volkswagen Motorsport (2014 to 2016) and then twice with Ford (2017/18). The palmarès of the soon-to-be 36-year-old Frenchman from Gap includes 47 WRC race victories in 147 starts. Ogier only signed a one-year contract.
The second new driver in the Toyota Gazoo Racing Team, which is led by four-time world champion Tommi Mäkinen in Finland, is Elfyn Evans. The 30-year-old Welshman comes from M Sport Ford. Evans celebrated his only WRC victory to date with them two years ago at their home rally in Wales. However, with 86 starts under his belt, the Brit has plenty of experience, which he wants to put to good use in the new team alongside Ogier in the battle for the manufacturers' title (which Hyundai won in 2019).
A youngster with potential
With Kalle Rovanperä, Toyota is retaining one of the greatest young talents like Evans for at least two years. The Finn, who will turn 19 on October 1, won the WRC2 Pro in a Skoda Fabia R5 last season. The son of former WRC driver Harri Rovanperä (winner in 2001 in Sweden in a Peugeot 206 WRC) was allowed to test a Yaris WRC at the age of 16. After that, Toyota always had an eye on him.
The 2020 WRC kicks off at the end of January at the Rally Monte Carlo. Sébastien Ogier has always won this rally since 2014 with Volkswagen, Ford and Citroën.
