TOYOTA GAZOO Racing World Rally Team (TGR-WRT) is gearing up for the 2024 Rally Italia Sardegna, the sixth round of the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC), set to take place from May 31 to June 2. After securing victories in Kenya, Croatia, and Portugal, TGR-WRT aims for another strong performance on the demanding gravel stages of Sardinia.
The team will compete with the 2024 GR YARIS Rally1 HYBRID, featuring drivers Sébastien Ogier, Elfyn Evans, and Takamoto Katsuta. Ogier, who has won the Sardinia event four times, is seeking his third victory in as many rounds this season. Evans and Katsuta also bring strong track records and are prepared to tackle the challenging course.
New Challenges and Format
This year’s rally marks the 20th anniversary of Sardinia hosting the Italian WRC round, debuting a condensed format that crams 266.12 kilometers of competitive action into 48 hours. Despite the tighter schedule, the rally remains grueling, with narrow, technical stages and a sandy surface that gives way to a rocky, abrasive base. High temperatures exceeding 30 degrees Celsius add to the challenge for both cars and tires.
The service park returns to Alghero, with the rally starting on Friday afternoon following the shakedown at Ittiri rallycross circuit. Competitors will face four stages on the northern coast. Saturday’s route includes over half of the rally’s distance, with 149 kilometers covered without mid-day service. The final day on Sunday features two repeated stages along the northwest coast.
Driver Lineup and Expectations
Jari-Matti Latvala (Team Principal) Latvala expressed excitement about the new format: “It’s going to be interesting to see the new more compact format in action in Sardinia. It will be a shorter event but not an easier rally. Managing the tires and avoiding the rocks will be key for success. Hopefully, we can maintain our performance and keep all our cars on the road without issues.”
Elfyn Evans (Driver car 33) Reflecting on Portugal, Evans said, “Portugal was a difficult weekend, but we have to aim for stronger rallies ahead. Sardinia is quite similar to Portugal in some ways and maybe trickier in others, but I’m sure we can turn things around and make it a better weekend.”
Sébastien Ogier (Driver car 17) Ogier is optimistic following recent successes: “We have been on a good run with wins in Croatia and Portugal. The target for Sardinia is to continue this sequence. It’s always a difficult challenge, but it’s a rally that I learned to love and to master over my career.”
Takamoto Katsuta (Driver car 18) Katsuta aims to improve on his Portugal performance: “My result in Portugal was not what I wanted, but I had a good feeling with the car. I hope we can take that feeling into Sardinia. Usually, I don’t feel as confident on this event, but our starting position should be good for Friday.”
WRC2 Representation
Following its maiden WRC2 victory in Portugal, the GR Yaris Rally2 will be represented by seven drivers in Sardinia, including Sami Pajari, Georg Linnamäe, and Jan Solans, among others.
