Toyota, expected surge in Greece

We were so used to seeing Toyota gagner cette saison, que les deux défaites consécutives en Finlande puis à Ypres font office de surprise. L’écurie japonaise a perdu la bataille face à Hyundai lors des deux derniers meetings du WRC. Always well placed, the Yaris Rally1 failed to materialize and had to bow to Ott Tänak.

On the Rally from the Acropolis, Toyota aims to put an end to the Hyundai dynamic. “After being very close to victory in the last two rallies, we are going to Greece with the firm intention of winning, insists Jari-Matti Latvala, the team director. We know it won't be easy, the Acropolis is a legendary rally and it's great to have it back on the calendar since last year. »

Generally more comfortable than the Hyundai i20 during gravel rallies, the Yaris are once again favorites for the Greek event. All eyes will be on Kalle Rovanperä. The championship leader could win the title in Greece, a few weeks after his big accident in Ypres. The Finn has the confidence of his team director. “We have seen that the gravel roads are not as rough as in the past. This means that although reliability is still very important, we must also have a good level of performance, explains the former WRC driver. Kalle had a great victory last year in difficult conditions (…). Repeating this will be complicated as it will open the route, especially as most of Friday's stages are only run once. But Kalle has handled this challenge very well so far this season. »

Second match point for Rovanperä in Greece

For the main person concerned, the Acropolis Rally is first and foremost an opportunity to make up for his mistake in Ypres. “Belgium was a difficult weekend for us. In Greece we just have to get back to where we should be and try to have a good rally.", estimates the young 21-year-old pilot. Kalle Rovanperä will have a second match point on the Acropolis, but she will need very favorable conditions to win the title. “The championship is never over until it’s over, so we can’t think too much about it. We're just trying to get points in each event and control what we can. »

Reigning winner of the Acropolis Rally, the Toyota driver hopes that the weather will work in his favor to maintain his title. “Greece was a very good rally for us last year, but our chances this time will depend a lot on the weather. If it's dry, I think it will be very difficult for us to open the road on Friday. If so, it probably won't be much easier for our rivals right behind us, and hopefully we can still make the most of the situation. »

Toyota expected around the corner

Toyota is heading to Greece with its usual armada, made up of Kalle Rovanperä, Elfyn Evans and Esapekka Lappi, who will discover the Acropolis Rally in the WRC. “In Greece, we will go to something that is quite unknown to me. I've done the rally once before, in 2014, when it was a round ofERC, but half of the route was then on asphalt. There will be many new things to discover” declares the Finn. After two drought rallies, Toyota is expected to return to the top of the podium.

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