Toyota snatching the World Rally Championship producers’ crown on the ultimate stage of the season was an awesome advert for rallying, based on workforce boss Jari-Matti Latvala.
The Japanese model overhauled an unlikely 15-point deficit to Hyundai coming into the Japan season finale, culminating in a unprecedented closing stage showdown.
They had been tied on factors heading into the Energy Stage after Hyundai’s Ott Tanak crashed from the lead in dramatic circumstances, which additionally handed team-mate Thierry Neuville a maiden drivers’ title.
Nonetheless, Toyota’s Sebastien Ogier delivered a shocking drive to win the 13.98km Lake Mikawako take a look at whereas team-mate Elfyn Evans (rally winner) was third quickest and Takamoto Katsuta fifth, which was sufficient to clinch the championship by three factors.
Regardless of successful eight rallies to Hyundai’s 5, Toyota’s triumph comes after a difficult season that led to Latvala nearly writing off the workforce’s title possibilities following September’s Acropolis Rally.
“It has been an incredible story and I don’t assume I’ve seen a narrative like this when it comes to how shut the combat can go over a season,” Latvala, whose squad has gained each producers’ crown since 2021, advised Motorsport.com.
Elfyn Evans, Scott Martin, Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT Toyota GR Yaris Rally1
Picture by: Toyota Racing
“If you consider what has occurred this weekend, and also you observe the game, I might say that is the most effective story you may construct up and for me, it exhibits how nice rally is and the drama that has been taking place. We simply have to maintain the tales going.
“We had been combating on the final stage and the final metres. It has most likely been probably the most troublesome day of my profession as a workforce principal as a result of it was so nerve-wracking to observe.
“My feeling on a regular basis was each nook I noticed, I felt like our drivers had been going to go off the street. I used to be scared on a regular basis, however they did a very nice job.
“Coming into right now we didn’t assume the probabilities had been so excessive however we had the need to combat till the very finish. When Ott went off issues did change. It exhibits that it’s best to by no means lose the religion.
“Now we have gained extra rallies however we now have had unhealthy Sundays and that has been costing us rather a lot. We had three unhealthy Sundays and Hyundai has clearly been higher on the Sundays, however it has occurred to them now.
“General I feel as a workforce we now have been very sturdy over the 12 months however there was incidents and we now have paid the value for these.”
