WRC 2023 TEAM & DRIVER
PHOTO BY Noriaki MITSUHASHI / N-RAK PHOTO AGENCY
DRIVER
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Kalle Rovanperä
Driver
Born— October 1, 2000 Nationality— FinlandKalle Rovanperä is a Finnish rally driver. He is the son of Harri Rovanperä, who won the WRC Rally Sweden in 2001 and was a works driver for Peugeot and Mitsubishi. Even before he acquired his driver's license, Rovanperä honed his driving skills by driving in practice areas that had been closed due to ice, and he had mastered drifting techniques by the age of eight. Rovanperä started his rally career when he was 12, participating in rally sprints in Latvia. In Latvia, a driver's license is not required to take part in rallying, and Rovanperä took part in many events, with his co-driver taking the wheel on public roads. He won the Latvian R2 class in 2015, before securing the championship in the Open Class two years in a row. In 2016, Rovanperä expanded his sphere of activities outside Latvia, and made his WRC2 debut at the 2017 Wales Rally GB. He took his maiden WRC2 victory at Rally Australia later the same season. In 2018, he was selected as a works driver for the Škoda Motorsport team, and secured two victories on his way to third overall in the WRC2 Drivers’ Championship. In 2019, he participated in WRC2 Pro, the highest category for R5 rally cars; behind the wheel of a Škoda Fabia R5, Rovanperä won five rallies and clinched the Drivers’ Championship. Rovanperä joined TOYOTA GAZOO Racing WRT for the 2020 season. Despite it being his first full season in a World Rally Car, the Finn stood on the podium with third place at the second event of the season, Rally Sweden. In 2021, his second full season, he became the youngest ever driver to win a WRC round when he triumphed on Rally Estonia, before also claiming victory on the Acropolis Rally in Greece. With those two wins, he finished fourth in the Drivers' Championship. In 2022, he won the second event, Rally Sweden, and recorded a total of six wins during the season. By winning the 11th round, Rally New Zealand, he became the youngest drivers’ champion in WRC history at the age of 22 and one day.
【CAREER HIGHLIGHTS】
- 2022
- WRC Drivers' champion, 6 wins
- 2021
- Fourth in WRC Drivers' championship, 2 wins
- 2020
- Fifth in WRC Drivers' championship
- 2019
- WRC 2 Pro champion, 5 wins
- 2018
- Third in WRC 2, 2 wins
- 2017
- First WRC 2 win (Australia)
Latvian Rally Champion
- 2016
- Latvian Rally Champion
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS -
Jonne Halttunen
Co-Driver
Born— December 13, 1985 Nationality— FinlandJonne Halttunen is a Finnish rally co-driver. He works together with Kalle Rovanperä. He made his first appearance as a co-driver in 2009, in a domestic Finnish rally. In 2011, he began to participate in more events, appearing in rallies in both Finland and Estonia, before expanding his sphere of activities to include the whole of Europe. Halttunen made his WRC debut at the 2011 Rally Finland, and took part in Rally Finland every year alongside drivers such as Matias Kauppinen and Teemu Asunmaa. In 2017, Halttunen teamed up with Rovanperä for the first time, taking part in WRC2 at Wales Rally GB and Rally Australia in a Ford Fiesta R5. In 2018, he participated in the entire WRC2 series together with Rovanperä, securing two wins in the Škoda Fabia R5 and placing third overall in the Co-drivers’ Championship. In 2019, Halttunen recorded 10 podium finishes, including five victories, as he won the Co-drivers’ Championship. Halttunen joined TOYOTA GAZOO Racing WRT for the 2020 season alongside Rovanperä, finishing fifth overall in the Co-drivers' Championship. In 2021 they claimed their first two WRC victories on Rally Estonia and Acropolis Rally Greece, and Halttunen finished fourth in the Co-drivers' Championship. In 2022, he won his first WRC co-drivers’ title with six wins during the season.
【CAREER HIGHLIGHTS】
- 2022
- WRC Co-drivers' champion, 6 wins
- 2021
- Fourth in WRC for co-drivers, 2 wins
- 2020
- Fifth in WRC for co-drivers
- 2019
- WRC 2 Pro champion, 5 wins
- 2018
- Third in WRC 2, 2 wins
- 2017
- Finnish Rally Championship SM1 class champion
First WRC 2 win (Australia)
- 2016
- Finnish Rally Championship SM2 class champion
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS -
Elfyn Evans
Driver
Born— December 28, 1988 Nationality— UK (Wales)Elfyn Evans is a British rally driver. Son of the former British Rally Championship champion Gwyndaf Evans, Elfyn Evans made his rally debut in 2006 in a Nissan Micra. He appeared in a WRC rally for the first time at the Wales Rally GB in 2007. In 2010, Evans won the British Junior Rally Championship, and secured four victories out of six rallies in the 2012 WRC Academy (now the Junior WRC) as he claimed the series title. He joined M-Sport Ford in 2013, and made a one-off appearance at Rally Italia Sardegna, where he finished sixth overall. The same year, Evans also participated in WRC2 in the Ford Fiesta R5, winning Wales Rally GB, his home event. In 2016, Evans secured three rally victories on his way to second in the WRC2 Drivers’ Championship. He has participated in the WRC since 2017, a year in which he won the Wales Rally GB and also finished second overall in two further rallies. A series of dependable performances saw Evans finish fifth in the Drivers’ Championship. In 2019, he held the lead until the final stage at the Tour de Corse, growing into an all-rounder with the ability to win even on tarmac.
Evans has been a member of TOYOTA GAZOO Racing WRT since 2020. He won victories at Rally Sweden and Rally Turkey, and finished second overall in the Drivers' Championship. In 2021 he also won twice - at Rally Portugal and Rally Finland - and finished second in the Drivers' Championship. In 2022, he finished second overall four times, finishing fourth in the Drivers’ Championship.【CAREER HIGHLIGHTS】
- 2022
- Fourth in WRC Drivers’ championship
- 2021
- Second in WRC Drivers’ championship, 2 wins
- 2020
- Second in WRC Drivers’ championship, 2 wins
- 2017
- First WRC win (Britain)
- 2016
- British Rally Champion
- 2012
- WRC Academy Champion
- 2010
- British Junior Rally Champion
- 2008
- British and Irish Fiesta Trophy Champion
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS -
Scott Martin
Co-Driver
Born— November 6, 1982 Nationality— UKScott Martin is a British rally co-driver. He works together with Elfyn Evans. Martin made his rally debut in 2001, and was active largely on the domestic U.K. rally scene. In 2004, he made his first WRC appearance at Wales Rally GB, as co-driver to Matthew Wilson, the son of M-Sport founder Malcolm Wilson. Martin began competing in the WRC more seriously from 2006 onward, gaining experience in Group N cars. In 2008, Martin participated fully in the WRC alongside Wilson in a Ford World Rally Car. Since then, he has worked as co-driver to Khalid Al-Qassimi and Craig Breen, and secured two podium finishes in a Citroën World Rally Car. In 2019, Evans returned to his former team, M-Sport Ford, and formed a new pairing with Evans. The two finished third overall at Rally Mexico and Tour de Corse. Despite sitting out three rounds due to an injury to Evans, Martin finished fifth overall in the Co-drivers’ Championship.
In 2020, Martin joined TOYOTA GAZOO Racing WRT along with Evans. Together they secured two victories, and Martin achieved his best-ever finish in the Co-drivers' Championship with second overall. In 2021 the pair also won two rallies, in Portugal and Finland, and Martin was again second in the Co-drivers' Championship. In 2022, he finished second overall four times and, fourth in the Co-drivers’ Championship.【CAREER HIGHLIGHTS】
- 2022
- Fourth in WRC for co-drivers
- 2021
- Second in WRC for co-drivers, 2 wins
- 2020
- Second in WRC for co-drivers, 2 wins
- 2019
- Fifth in WRC for co-drivers, 5 wins
- 2016
- First WRC podium - Rally Finland overall third
- 2014
- Third in European Rally Championship
- 2007
- Fiesta Sporting Trophy International series champion
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS -
Sébastien Ogier
Driver
Born— December 17, 1983 Nationality— FranceSébastien Ogier is a French rally driver. He began his rally career in 2005, when he was selected to take part in the FFSA Rallye Jeunes, a talent-spotting event organized by the French Federation of Automobile Sport. In 2007, he won the Peugeot 206 Cup, then went on to secure the Junior World Rally Championship in 2008. Impressed by his performances, Citroën provided Ogier with the opportunity to compete in the final rally of the 2008 season, Wales Rally GB. Despite this being his first appearance in a World Rally Car, Ogier recorded the fastest time in SS1 and held the rally lead until SS5. In 2009, he became a member of the Citroën Junior Team, where he won his first WRC event at the 2010 Rally de Portugal. The following year, Ogier clinched five rally victories on his way to third place in the Drivers’ Championship. In 2013, he joined Volkswagen Motorsport and won four consecutive drivers’ championships between 2013 and 2016. He moved to M-Sport Ford in 2017, where he added a further two championships; this meant he had won an incredible six WRC Drivers’ Championships in a row. Ogier returned to Citroën in 2019, before moving to the TOYOTA GAZOO Racing WRT for 2020. He won two rallies for his new team and extended his total number of wins to 49 and secured his seventh drivers' championship in the process. Five further wins followed as he clinched his eighth drivers' championship in 2021. Since 2022 he continues to participate in selected rounds. Winning Rally Spain that season, he extended his total number of wins to 55. In 2023, he will share the team’s third official entry with Takamoto Katsuta.
【CAREER HIGHLIGHTS】
- 2022
- Sixth in WRC for drivers, 1 win
- 2021
- Eighth drivers' championship victory, 5 wins
- 2020
- Seventh drivers' championship victory, 2 wins
- 2013-18
- Six consecutive WRC titles
- 2010
- First WRC wins (Portugal and Japan)
- 2008
- Junior WRC Champion
- 2007
- French 206 Cup Champion
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS -
Vincent Landais
Co-Driver
Born— October 17, 1991 Nationality— FranceVincent Landais is a French rally co-driver. He works together with Sébastien Ogier. He began co-driving in 2010 in domestic competitions in France. At the end of 2013 he began competing regularly in the ERC (European Rally Championship) alongside Robert Consani and later Jonathan Hirschi, with whom he made the switch to the WRC and WRC 3 class during 2015. At the end of that year he joined forces with Pierre-Louis Loubet in the Junior WRC, and began competing in WRC 2 from 2016. In 2019 Landais won the WRC 2 title alongside Loubet after they scored class victory in both Portugal and Sardinia. In 2020 they moved up to the top category with the Hyundai 2C Competition team. After starting 2022 as part of Ogier’s gravel crew at TOYOTA GAZOO Racing WRT for Rallye Monte-Carlo, Landais then returned to competition with Loubet for the M-Sport Ford Rally Team and finished fourth overall in Sardinia and Greece. For Rally Japan he debuted as Ogier’s co-driver and finished fourth overall.
【CAREER HIGHLIGHTS】
- 2022
- Participated in WRC; 4th place in Italy, Greece and Japan
- 2019
- WRC 2 champion; 2 wins
- 2015-18
- Participated in WRC 2; best result of 4th overall
- 2012
- First WRC rally
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS -
Takamoto Katsuta
Driver
Born— March 17, 1993 Nationality— JapanTakamoto Katsuta is a Japanese rally driver. He drove in his first kart race at the age of 11, and at age 18 he won the Formula Challenge Japan (FCJ). He placed second overall in the Japanese Formula 3 Championship at age 20, and fourth overall the following year in 2014. In addition to competing in Formula 3, from 2012 he began limited participation in the GT86 in the Japanese Rally Championship, notching up his first JN5-class win in 2014. In 2015, he switched his focus fully to rally, becoming a member of the TGR Rally Challenge Program (now the WRC Challenge Program), and started competing overseas. In 2016, he began competing in some WRC 2 events, and achieved his first-ever WRC 2-class podium the following year at Rally Italia Sardegna. In 2018, he achieved his inaugural WRC 2 victory at Rally Sweden. In 2019, he won the WRC 2-class event at Rally Chile, secured two wins from two appearances in the Yaris WRC at the Finnish Rally Championship, then took the wheel of the Yaris WRC and competed in the WRC, the highest-level of rally competition, at Rallye Deutschland and Rally Spain. In 2020, he competed in five WRC events in the Yaris WRC, winning the Power Stage at the season-ending Rally Monza to secure his first-ever fastest time in WRC. During 2021, he claimed top-six finishes at each of the first six events, culminating in a maiden podium with second place at Safari Rally Kenya. In 2022, he competed in every WRC event in the GR Yaris Rally1 Hybrid as part of the TGR WRT Next Generation team. Aside from Rally New Zealand, where he was forced to retire, he was consistently in the points, finishing in the top-eight in every rally. He clinched third place and the final podium spot at both Safari Rally Kenya and the season-ending Rally Japan, and ended the season in fifth overall in the drivers’ championship.
【CAREER HIGHLIGHTS】
- 2022
- Fifth in WRC for drivers, two podiums (Kenya, Japan)
- 2021
- Seventh in WRC for drivers, one podium (Kenya)
- 2019
- WRC 2 win (Chile), first events in Yaris WRC
- 2018
- First WRC 2 win (Sweden)
- 2016
- First WRC rally (Finland)
- 2012
- Debut in Japanese Rally Championship
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS -
Aaron Johnston
Co-Driver
Born— February 2, 1995 Nationality— IrishAaron Johnston is an Irish co-driver who competes alongside Takamoto Katsuta. He began competing in rallies as a co-driver in 2011, participating in various domestic rallies in the U.K. and Ireland. From 2017 onward, he expanded his sphere of activities, participating and gathering experience in rallies in Estonia, Latvia, France, and Belgium. In 2019, he was co-driver to Oliver Solberg, racking up numerous victories at Rally Liepāja in Latvia and other European Rally Championship (ERC) events; the same year, he also made his debut in WRC, partnering Solberg in an R5-class car at Wales Rally GB. In 2020, he continued his alliance with Solberg, competing in both ERC and WRC 3; the pair clinched single victories in both series, finishing second overall in ERC and third overall in WRC 3. In 2021, Johnston competed alongside Solberg for Hyundai in both WRC 2 and WRC until the middle of the season. He switched to partnering Katsuta for round 10 of WRC, Rally Finland, and has been his co-driver ever since. In 2022, he competed in every WRC event in the GR Yaris Rally1 Hybrid, clinching his first-ever podium with a third-place finish at Safari Rally Kenya, and following this up with third at Rally Japan. He ended the season in fifth overall in the co-drivers’ championship.
【CAREER HIGHLIGHTS】
- 2022
- Fifth in WRC for co-drivers, two podiums (Kenya, Japan)
- 2021
- First events in World Rally Car; co-driver to Katsuta from Rally Finland onward
- 2020
- Third in WRC 3 (one win), second in ERC (one win)
- 2019
- First WRC rally (Britain), first ERC win
- 2011
- First rally
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS
TEAM
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- TGR-WRT ChairmanAkio Toyoda
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- Team PrincipalJari-Matti Latvala
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- Project DirectorYuichiro Haruna
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- Sporting DirectorKaj Lindström
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- Technical DirectorTom Fowler