P1racenews AI automatic summary:
The Rally1 inspiration behind the WRC’s latest customer weapon
For the past three years, Toyota has dominated the World Rally Championship, winning both the drivers’ and manufacturers’ titles. However, this year, they are venturing into the Rally2 customer sphere with the GR Yaris Rally2. Rally2 cars are similar to GT3 and TCR cars, built to specific FIA regulations for around €200,000-€300,000. These cars have been successful since the R5 ruleset in 2012, with 1500 cars on the market.
The GR Yaris Rally2 was developed over 18 months and tested extensively to compete with cars like Skoda’s Fabia RS and Citroen’s C3. Toyota faced the challenge of building a car for customers of varying abilities, unlike their factory driver-centric approach in the past. The focus was on performance, reliability, and usability to match the competition.
Despite its aggressive features inspired by the Rally1 car, the GR Yaris Rally2 reflects Toyota’s commitment to capturing the essence of the Yaris in a scaled-down version. The shared learnings between Rally1 and Rally2 within the same design team have been beneficial for Toyota, helping them stay competitive in the evolving market.
