Toyota is making its return to the World Rally Championship in 2017 with a monstrous Yaris WRC, which it officially unveiled today alongside its driver line-up.
After a 17-year absence, Toyota makes its return to the WRC next year and has now uncovered the mean-looking Yaris WRC that its drivers will compete with.
Jari-Matti Latvala makes the move across to Toyota for 2017, following VW’s dramatic exit from the WRC at the end of this season.
He joins Juho Hanninen as a full-time Toyota driver, while WRC2 winner Esapekka Lappi will contest selected rounds.
They’ll all be driving the absolutely bonkers-looking Yaris WRC, which features striking aero and a huge rear wing. Even the wing mirrors look ridiculously insane.
WRC cars will be quicker and meaner-looking in 2016 thanks to increases in power to 380hp, partly due to a larger 36mm restrictor, and changes to aero regulations.
It follows M-Sport’s recent Ford Fiesta WRC reveal and the uncovering of the Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC a few weeks ago.
Here’s what headline driver Latvala, who recently tested with the new Yaris WRC, has to say on his new team:
“I started my rally career in a Toyota Corolla GT back in 2001 and my first competitive outing in a World Rally Car was behind the wheel of a Corolla WRC in 2003 in Estonia. So in many ways, it feels like I’m coming home! I’m really happy to join the TOYOTA GAZOO Racing WRC team from the very start and lead this new adventure with them. I feel lucky to be part of this story and I hope we will amass a lot of victories in it.”
Latvala’s former VW team-mate and four-time champion Sebastien Ogier was yesterday confirmed at M-Sport for 2017.
Toyota will be hoping to return to the WRC with a bang, after its title-winning success in the 1990s.