As partners, OMP and TOYOTA GAZOO Racing World Rally Team enjoyed another sensational FIA World Rally Championship campaign, celebrating together a fourth Manufacturer’s title in six years and a fifth consecutive Drivers’ title, as Kalle Rovanperä was able to retain his crown at the wheel of his GR YARIS Rally1 HYBRID.
Since 2017, OMP has been supplying the TOYOTA GAZOO Racing World Rally Team with drivers and co-drivers’ racewear, mechanics’ overalls and HTE ONE Lite seats, contributing to the Japanese marque's supremacy.
TOYOTA GAZOO Racing World Rally Team wrapped-up the 2023 season in a dream way, securing an historic 1-2-3 finish on home stages at Rally Japan. This year, the squad achieved a total of eight victories, three of which were claimed by now back-to-back champion Rovanperä. The Finn, together with his co-driver Jonne Halttunen, won in Portugal, Estonia and Greece, showing a decisive consistency in the second half of the calendar.
Teammate Elfyn Evans remained Rovanperä’s last title contender, ending as runner-up by being victorious in Croatia, Finland and Japan. Eight-time world champion Sébastien Ogier, committed to a part-time programme, scored as well three wins, at the opening round in Monte-Carlo, then in Mexico and Kenya.
TOYOTA GAZOO Racing World Rally Team thus collected a total of 548 points, also counting on the help of Takamoto Katsuta, who secured one podium finish. The Manufacturers' title mathematically came with two rounds still to go, at the Rally Chile, while Rovanperä and Halttunen took their second personal championship at the following Central European Rally.
In Finland, the country where the squad is based, team principal Jari-Matti Latvala returned to the driver's seat for a one-off cameo, temporarily handing over his duties to TGR-WRT chairman Akyo Toyoda. Latvala earned an outstanding fifth place in his competitive debut in a Rally1 car.
