Toyota WRC Rally1 Contender Unleashed 

As the Rally1 World Rally Championships kick off for 2022 in Monte Carlo, Toyota has unveiled its Toyota Yaris contender for the season.  Sporting the same red, black and white design, Toyota’s Rally1 entry is a hybrid GR Yaris – but not as we know it.  In line with changes to competition regulations, Toyota has presented a “modified” Yaris, which is turning heads in Salzburg. 

WRC Launches its Season in Austria

The Rally1 contender took centre stage at the WRC’s official season launch in Austria after a preparatory season fraught with setbacks.  During a test run in France the prototype Rally1 was damaged and caused delays in driver trials.  But, the long awaited unveiling went as planned at the official season launch at Hangar-7 in Salzburg attended by motorsport royalty, including new FIA president Mohammed Ben Salayem. 

New Regulations Causing Headaches for Big Guns in Rally Cars

The controversial changes to Rally1 regulations have been a nightmare for carmakers to say the least.  WRC changes focus largely on cost management and sustainability – forcing the traditional big guns to rethink their approach to Rally1, while opening the doors for smaller manufacturers.  FIA and WRC’s guidelines include: 

Cost Vs Benefit analysis on features 

“These (new regulations) are the result of months of rigorous analysis and investigation by the FIA’s team of expert personnel in close collaboration with the WRC manufacturers, with every design cost required to demonstrate a tangible benefit, without losing the ethos of maintaining top-line performance.” Said a representative from the FIA. 

Sustainable, safer design

“Beside the hybrid technology adding a new dynamic layer of performance combined with safety improvements, Rally1 cars will be using 100 per cent sustainable fuel and work is also ongoing to achieve greater sustainability in the organisation of each round of the series. I look forward to an exciting season!” said President Ben Sulayem

Rally1 Hybrid GR Yaris Performance Features

What’s that meant for the Toyota contender? The Toyota Hybrid GR Yaris is the new Toyota benchmark in small, sustainable but grunty vehicles.  The WRC contender takes that next level while complying with all competition regulations. 

• 100kW hybrid unit 
• 1.6 litre turbo charged engine 
• Potential 500 horsepower availability 
• Steel Spaceframe chassis
• Slicker aerodynamics (to set off extra weight) 

“Because the GR Yaris was first designed for rally performance, safety features have always been paramount with this car.  We know first-hand that Yaris is the first choice for the boys who value off road performance, but also all kinds of buyers who value safety first.” Said Brett Mills, Sunshine Coast Toyota Dealer, and area renowned for its off-road adventures. 

Where to see the GR Yaris in Action this Season 

The 2022 WRC Championships kick off in Monte-Carlo in January but if you’re looking for something closer to home, you can catch events in Sweden, Croatia, Portugal, Italy, Kenya, Estonia, Finland, Greece, New Zealand, Spain and Japan.  There is still one unconfirmed event and US fans hold out hope that rumours of a US inclusion may still come to fruition.  With the location of August’s rally still yet to be announced, locations including the US, China, Mexico and Russia are all on the table.  To see a full list of events, visit the WRC website.