TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Achieves Podium Finish at Rally Italia Sardegna
TOYOTA GAZOO Racing (TGR) World Rally Team (WRT) celebrated a hard-earned podium finish at the 2024 FIA World Rally Championship’s (WRC) Rally Italia Sardegna. Driving the No. 17 GR YARIS Rally1 Hybrid Electric Vehicle, Sébastien Ogier and co-driver Vincent Landais secured a commendable second-place victory.
Performance Highlights:
- Driver and Co-Driver: Sébastien Ogier and Vincent Landais
- Vehicle: No. 17 GR YARIS Rally1 Hybrid Electric Vehicle
- Position: 2nd Place
- Time: 3 hours, 6 minutes, and 5.8 seconds
Akio Toyoda, Chairman of TGR-WRT, praised the team's effort: “The surface in Sardinia is very demanding, presenting challenges to our team and cars. TGR has triumphed in Sardinia only once before when Seb won in 2021. Seb and Vincent performed admirably in this harsh and demanding event but missed out in the very last moment on the Power Stage. We will transform this frustration into strength and aim for the next victory.”
Ogier was engaged in a fierce competition for the lead throughout most of the rally. After a strong performance on day two, he led into day three with only 6.2 seconds separating him from his rival. Despite a sudden technical difficulty on the Power Stage, which resulted in a narrow 0.2-second deficit, Ogier's performance remains one of the closest finishes in FIA WRC history.
Looking ahead, the 2025 Rally Italia Sardegna will adopt a condensed format in line with new FIA guidelines, making rallies operationally shorter yet equally demanding. The 48-hour competition will feature fast, narrow, and technical stages across 266 kilometers, challenging both vehicles and drivers amid rocky tracks and high temperatures.
Toyota has a rich history in motorsports, participating in Formula One, the World Endurance Championship (WEC), and the Nürburgring 24 Hours endurance race. Since April 2015, all Toyota's motorsport activities have been consolidated under the TGR brand. This consolidation embodies Toyota’s belief that “the roads build the people, and the people build the cars,” reflecting the company's commitment to making “ever-better” cars through motorsports.
The next round of the 2024 FIA WRC is Rally Poland, scheduled for June 27-30. Returning for the first time since 2017, the rally promises fast stages across soft and sandy roads around Mikołajki in the Masurian Lake District.
