Toyota will remain in the WRC for the long term – The Japanese confirmed this at the halfway point of the 2023 season after the Rally Finland
Toyota will remain committed to the World Rally Championship (WRC) for the long term, the carmaker’s chief executive Akio Toyoda has declared. The Japanese brand is one of three manufacturers currently represented in the WRC, along with Hyundai and M-Sport-Ford. Toyoda, who brought Toyota back to the World Rally Championship in 2017 after 17 years, reaffirmed the brand’s commitment to the championship.
This commitment comes amid uncertainty over the future of the Rally1 category, with a major change to the regulations expected in 2027 that will see electric, hydrogen and synthetic fuels discussed as powertrain options. Last year, the WRC took a first step towards environmental friendliness by switching to hybrid power and one hundred per cent sustainable fuels.
At the Rally Finland in early August, Toyota gave an indication of its long-term commitment to the World Rally Championship, announcing plans to build a new WRC development centre near its team workshop in Jyväskylä. Asked if this was a sign that Toyota intended to remain in the World Rally Championship for the foreseeable future, Toyoda, who had travelled to the far north, confirmed the brand’s intention.
“I think if you look at Toyota’s past, there was a time when the decision to enter motorsport was only made for marketing reasons,” he explained. “We are a company with a history of being in the WRC and then at some point we made the decision that we should focus on Formula 1, which is why we pulled out of the WRC. “
RALLY FINLAND WINNERS!
An incredible drive by @ElfynEvans and @scottmartinat to give the team another home win – as @TakamotoKatsuta and @AaronJ_CoDriver make it a double podium! ToyotaGAZOORacing GRYaris WRC RallyFinland pic. twitter.com/x2ahrTdjpI
– TOYOTA GAZOO Racing WRT (@TGR_WRC) August 6, 2023
17 years later, Toyoda, as president of the marque, revised that decision and initiated a return to the WRC. “There were two reasons why I wanted to return to the WRC,” he says. “The first reason was to come back and participate so we can use that experience to build even better cars, and the second reason was for human resources development. “
“If we lose both, we lose our raison d’être as a company,” were the clear words of the Toyota boss. “That is why I can say that this commitment to the WRC will be a long-term commitment by Toyota.” Toyoda, who is a passionate rally fan, wants competition in the WRC to go beyond Toyota, Hyundai and M-Sport.
“I believe motorsport needs competition and the more participants the better,” he says. “That’s why I try to take every opportunity to invite people to join us so that we have good competition,” Toyoda continued. “If we look at the WRC, it’s Toyota, Hyundai and M-Sport with Ford, but I want to see more involvement!