The all-new driver line-up of Sébastien Ogier, Elfyn Evans and Kalle Rovanperä will look to make a positive start aboard the Toyota Yaris WRC when the 2020 FIA World Rally Championship gets underway with one of the sport’s most iconic and demanding events, Rallye Monte-Carlo (January 23-26).
2020 Yaris WRC
Ogier will begin his quest for a seventh world title on a rally that’s based out of the Frenchman’s hometown of Gap and one that he’s won in each of the last six years. Team-mate and proven rally winner Evans will also target a strong start to an exciting new chapter in his career, while young talent Kalle Rovanperä makes his eagerly-anticipated debut at rallying’s highest level.
Rallye Monte-Carlo provides a challenging place for the trio to get to grips with their new surroundings in the heat of WRC competition. The oldest rally in the calendar, first run in 1911, is notorious for its difficult changeable conditions which can range from dry asphalt to snow and ice – sometimes within a single stage. This makes tyre choice a critical factor throughout the event, with drivers relying on their ice-note crews to provide them with the latest information on stage conditions.
Shakedown takes place close to the Gap service park on Wednesday afternoon before the rally starts from Monaco’s famous harbour on Thursday, followed by two stages in darkness on the way back to Gap. The first of these, Malijai – Puimichel, was last used in 1994. A repeated loop of three stages on Friday includes the new Saint-Clément – Freissinières test to the north east of Gap. Saturday has two well-known stages both run twice prior to the long journey back to Monaco for the final day, which includes two passes over the legendary Col de Turini as well as the La Cabanette – Col de Braus Power Stage.
Quotes:
Tommi Mäkinen (Team Principal)
“Rallye Monte-Carlo is always an exciting event at the start of a new season, and it should be especially interesting this year with many drivers in different cars, and in our case a completely new line-up. It is a rally that we are yet to win as a team, but we have finished on the podium every time and our performance there has been strong. Sébastien’s record on this event is brilliant and he has won it in many different cars, so I am sure that he will be in the fight again even though he will still be getting to know our car. I think it will be similar for Elfyn, who has shown good speed on the Monte before. For Kalle, on the other hand, there will be absolutely no pressure, because this is a really hard rally to make your debut on and one where you need to have experience. But I am confident that as a team we can get a strong result to begin our challenge for this year’s championship.”
Sébastien Ogier/ Julien Ingrassia
Sébastien Ogier
(Driver car 17)
“I’m excited to start my first rally in the Toyota Yaris WRC. Every car has
different characteristics and it takes some kilometres to learn about them, but
so far it has been good in the tests. We want to fight for a seventh title this
year, and I believe we can have a good chance with this car. Rallye Monte-Carlo
is an event with special emotions for me. I remember at the end of the 1990s,
coming to spectate and Tommi was winning a lot – he was the first idol I had in
rallying. Myself and Julien obviously have a very strong record too, and every
year there is more and more pressure to try and continue that. It’s always a
big challenge and one that I definitely enjoy.”
Elfyn Evans/Scott Martin
Elfyn Evans (Driver
car 33)
“I’m looking forward to Rallye Monte-Carlo and my first event with Toyota. This
is the first time in my WRC career that I’ve changed teams, but everybody’s
been very welcoming and I’ve got a good feeling in the car, so I’m excited
about the season ahead. My first time driving the Yaris WRC was in our test for
the Monte in December, and quite quickly I was able to get a nice feeling and
some good confidence. On this event the challenge is always the range of
conditions you can possibly face. When you’re setting up the car, you need
something that gives you confidence and I think we’ve got some good options
with that in mind.”
Kalle Rovanperä/Jonne Halttunen
Kalle Rovanperä
(Driver car 69)
“Rallye Monte-Carlo will be a special event for me. It’s a big step up from an
R5 car, with a lot more power and downforce, but so far I’ve found the Yaris
WRC to be quite easy to drive in the tests. Still, I have a lot to learn and I
think it will take a few rallies to really adapt to the car and how everything
works. I will need to think differently at the beginning of the season, and I
hope that I will have the patience for this. I think Monte-Carlo is not the
easiest place to start with a new car and a new team. The weather is changing
all the time and you cannot always have the right tyre choice for the
conditions. It will be a big challenge for us, but hopefully we can make it
through.”
Map Rallye Monte Carlo 2020
(Please visit www.wrc.com for the latest.)
The statistics (Rallye Monte-Carlo):
Year | Sébastien Ogier | Elfyn Evans | Kalle Rovanperä |
2019 | 1 | DNF | 18 |
2018 | 1 | 6 | 11 |
2017 | 1 | 6 | – |
2016 | 1 | 8 | – |
2015 | 1 | 7 | – |
2014 | 1 | 6 | – |
*Kalle Rovanperä entered with R5 only prior to 2020
What happened last year?
Ott Tänak led for Toyota early on, and after stopping to change a wheel he
produced a superb fightback to finish third. Jari-Matti Latvala was fifth while
Kris Meeke was sixth and won the Power Stage in his first rally with the team:
one of nine fastest times set by the Toyota Yaris WRC across the 16 stages.
Rallye Monte Carlo 2019