December 13, 2016 – Toyota has revealed the first images of its 2017 Yaris WRC challenger that will be driven by Jari-Matti Latvala, Juho Hänninen and Esapekka Lappi – it has been confirmed.
Latvala and Hänninen will contest all 13 rounds of the 2017 season, while recently crowned WRC-2 champion Lappi will contest selected events in a third-car program starting in the spring.
Former VW driver Latvala is pleased to secure his WRC future and is excited about the new challenge that lies ahead. “I started my rally career in a Toyota Corolla GT back in 2001 and my first competitive outing in a World Rally Car was behind the wheel of a Corolla WRC in 2003,” the 16-time WRC rally winner said. “In many ways it feels like I’m coming home.”
Toyota returns to the WRC after a 17-year absence; the Japanese manufacturer has a rich history in the sport, claiming 7 world championship titles between 1990 and 1999.
