For the first time this season, Toyota’s factory team will bring four GR Yaris Rally1 cars to the starting line, as Elfyn Evans and Takamoto Katsuta are joined by world champions Kalle Rovanperä and Sebastien Ogier.
Of the quartet, Katsuta will compete solely for individual points, while Evans, Rovanperä, and Ogier will also be hunting for team points. This trio is exceptionally formidable on the Portuguese gravel, with Rovanperä having won the event the last two times and Evans in 2021. Ogier, meanwhile, has five victories at the Rally de Portugal to his name.
According to team principal Jari-Matti Latvala, this is a tactical move particularly aimed at the team points. The World Rally Championship’s new scoring system makes it difficult to create point differentials.
“The manufacturers’ series is our main focus this year, especially in Portugal. That’s why both Kalle and Seb are involved,” Latvala explains.
“Takamoto has been driving well, no doubt about it. He has done a good job. However, it’s important to remember that Kalle has won there, as have Ogier and Evans.”
After four rounds, Toyota holds a slight lead over Hyundai. The Japanese manufacturer is ahead by seven points over its Korean rival.
“We’re putting all our cards on that, aiming to be strong on the manufacturers’ side in Portugal. The new points system has made it hard to establish margins,” Latvala shares.
The Rally de Portugal will take place from May 9-12. Matosinhos, near Porto, will once again serve as the rally headquarters. The event will feature a total of 22 special stages, covering just over 333 kilometers in distance.
