TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Clinches Victory with One-two Finish at Rally Chile

OYOTA GAZOO Racing (TGR) World Rally Team (WRT) celebrated a remarkable one-two victory at the 2024 FIA World Rally Championship’s Rally Chile. Kalle Rovanperä and co-driver Jonne Halttunen secured top podium position in their No. 69 GR YARIS Rally1 Hybrid Electric Vehicle, with teammates Elfyn Evans and co-driver Scott Martin in the No. 33 GR YARIS Rally1 Hybrid Electric Vehicle following less than a minute behind to solidify the day’s victory with a second-place win.

This victory highlights Toyota’s role in pioneering the advancement of hybrid technology around the world, and particularly in Qatar. Together, with Al Abdulghani Motors, they aim to bring world-class automotive innovations to Qatar, promising customers a more sustainable future.

Akio Toyoda, TGR-WRT Chairman, commented: “Kalle, Jonne, congratulations on your victory! Elfyn, Scott, thank you for the one-two finish! To the whole team, thank you for achieving the maximum points of 55 in one event! You all are great! I'm very happy to see the hard work of everyone who continued to improve without giving up pay off! Let's enjoy the final stages of the season from the position of chasing! I'm really looking forward to Rally Japan!”

Rally Chile, based in Concepción around 500 kilometres south of the capital city Santiago, returned to the WRC calendar in 2023 following a four-year hiatus. The event took place on gravel roads in the Biobío region, known for their mix of technical and fast sections with varying surfaces. The rally kicked off with stages to the southeast, while the remainder of the competition spanned the Biobío River and ended across new, undriven sections that posed significant challenges to drivers. 

After concluding the longest and one of the most demanding phases of the rally, Rovanperä and Halttunen led, with team-mates Evans and Martin following closely behind in a one-two finish as they prepared for the final stretch. The No. 69 and No. 33 crews tackled 139.2 competitive kilometres across two loops of three stages, facing rough, technical roads along with increased fog and rain compared to earlier stages.

These conditions did not let up going into the closing stage of Rally Chile, with Rovanperä extending his lead during the morning under heavy fog and securing his fourth win of the season alongside Halttunen in an exciting Power Stage finish.

Rovanperä’s 15th victory for TGR-WRT ties him with two-time champion Carlos Sainz for the most WRC wins with Toyota, while Evans, alongside Martin, returned to the podium for the fifth time this season.

Over the years, Toyota has been participating in many different forms of motorsports, including Formula One, the World Endurance Championship (WEC), and the Nürburgring 24 ‎Hours endurance race. Toyota’s participation in these events was overseen by separate entities within the company until April 2015, when Toyota established TGR, ‎to consolidate all its motorsports’ activities under one in-house brand. Representing ‎Toyota’s belief that ‘the roads build the people, and the people build the cars,’ TGR highlights the role of motorsports as a fundamental pillar of Toyota’s commitment to ‎making ‘ever-better’ cars. Harnessing years of experience gained under the extreme conditions of various motorsports events, TGR aims to forge new technologies and solutions that bring the freedom, adventure, and joy of driving to everyone.

Al Abdulghani Motors shares Toyota’s vision and continues to represent its legacy in Qatar through a commitment to advancing hybrid technology and nurturing the local motorsports scene, aiming to raise awareness about sustainable transportation and inspire a new generation of motorsport enthusiasts. 

The next round of the 2024 FIA WRC is the Central European Rally (17-20 October), marking a return to asphalt for the final two events of the season. First held in 2023, this cross-border rally features challenging stages across Germany, the Czech Republic, and Austria.

Race Notes:

No. 69 Toyota GR YARIS Rally1 Hybrid Electric Vehicle (Kalle Rovanperä and Jonne Halttunen)
Position: 1st
Time: 2 hours, 58 minutes, and 59.8 seconds 
No. 33 Toyota GR YARIS Rally1 Hybrid Electric Vehicle (Elfyn Evans and Scott Martin)
Position: 2nd
Time: 2 hours, 59 minutes, and 23.2 seconds