The team principal of Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT, Jari-Matti Latvala, clarifies that Esapekka Lappi will not compete in a same event with Sebastien Ogier despite the fact of a potential fifth Yaris in the second half of 2022.
Esapekka Lappi and Sebastien Ogier were confirmed by Toyota to share the third car of the team next season, but it is tipped that the last one will compete only in five events in 2022.
However, the Japanese team is thinking the possibility of running five Rally1 cars in the second half of next season, but the fifth car will be run by a costumer driver who will join Takamoto Katsuta in the second team of Toyota.
This second team will be named "the next generation team" and the drivers of this team will not score points for the main team of Toyota.
"That’s not the way we are thinking", Latvala said.
"It’s clear we want to have Sébastien and Esapekka in the third car and swapping.
"That fifth car is a seat on the Next Generation team and we have kept it as an option for a customer.
"We haven’t done any decisions on customer cars and I want to underline that.
"But we have looked at that option and we will look more at that option.
"If Ogier does go to New Zealand then it’s not so important for Lappi to go, because, from what we understand, the thinking is more towards Australia for the future.
"I guess the only time this plan not to run Ogier and Lappi on the same event could change is if we are fighting for manufacturer points towards the end of the season.
"Then this might be something we could use.
"But right now this is not our target".
Source: DirtFish.com
Photo Credits: Toyota
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