TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Celebrates Back-to-Back Wins at Round 9 of 2018 World Rally Championship in Germany

TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Celebrates Back-to-Back Wins at Round 9 of 2018 World Rally Championship in Germany
TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Celebrates Back-to-Back Wins at Round 9 of 2018 World Rally Championship in Germany

Share

Amman, September 2018 - The GAZOO Racing (GR) World Rally team is celebrating its second consecutive victory, after Ott Tänak followed his Rally Finland triumph by securing first place at the recent Rallye Deutschland during the World Rally Championship (WRC) organized by the International Automobile Federation - Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA). The race also marked the Toyota Yaris WRC’s maiden win on asphalt. As in Finland, the team achieved a double podium result, with Esapekka Lappi finishing in third place, enabling Toyota to climb to the second position in the manufacturers' championship and placing the team within 13 points of the lead. With tire choice and car setup further complicated by the often-changeable weather conditions, the versatility of the Toyota Yaris WRC proved a decisive factor in the team’s victory. The car features a 1.6-liter turbocharged, direct injection engine that produces over 300bhp, a six-speed hydraulic shift gearbox and a solid chassis shaped by advanced simulation, testing, and production techniques. “We are very excited by the team’s outstanding performance, and I would like to congratulate them on attaining a double podium finish in this challenging race - a magnificent achievement that demonstrates their skill and determination,” said Yugo Miyamoto, Chief Representative of the Middle East and North Africa Representative Office at Toyota Motor Corporation. “Toyota is committed to building ever-better cars, and motorsport is one of the means by which the skills of our people and the quality of our products can be further honed to achieve that aim. We extend our gratitude to our fans for their ongoing support, encouragement, and belief in our abilities and their constant encouragement.” Tänak was the front-runner for most of the race, only briefly conceding the lead after SS2. He carried an advantage of 43.7 seconds into the final day, which he managed carefully through the two runs over the 29-kilometer Grafschaft vineyard test. The win was sealed on the Bosenberg Power Stage, where he came within 0.1 seconds of repeating his fastest time in Finland. Rallye Deutschland is the third race that Tänak and co-driver Martin Järveoja's have won since joining Toyota this year. It is also the pair's second victory at this event and one that brings Tänak closer to the two drivers currently ahead of him in the championship. The 2018 season marks the second year of the GR team’s mission to harness experience from motorsport to make ever-better cars. The team enjoyed a successful debut year in 2017 that included victories at Rally Sweden and Rally Finland and finished third in the manufacturers’ championship.