Toyota will need a “maximum performance” from its drivers and “a little bit of support” from M-Sport Ford to deny Hyundai the World Rally Championship manufacturers’ title in Japan.
This year’s championship will go down to the wire with Toyota trailing Hyundai by 11 points heading into the final five stages of the Rally Japan season finale on Sunday.
Toyota began the weekend 15 points adrift of its Korean rivals but a strong Saturday where Elfyn Evans finished second, Sebastien Ogier third and Takamoto Katsuta fifth has kept the Japanese marque firmly in the fight.
But Hyundai will still head into Sunday as favourites with Ott Tanak having set the pace this weekend to establish a 38 seconds rally lead over Evans.
Hyundai is however fighting for two titles as Tanak and Thierry Neuville are also vying for the drivers’ crown, where the latter only needs to score two points on Sunday to clinch his maiden championship.
Toyota team principal Jari-Matti Latvala will instruct his drivers to be in full attack mode, but realises it may not be enough to retain the manufacturers’ title it has held since 2021.
Ott Tanak, Martin Jarveoja, Hyundai World Rally Team Hyundai i20 N Rally1
Photo by: McKlein / Motorsport Images
“It is not necessarily what we wanted [today],” he told Autosport. “We thought that with Elfyn having the performance in the morning he could challenge Ott more and if he could have got the lead today it would have been a very interesting position going into the Sunday.
“We have been able to catch four points more than Hyundai but taking 11 points on Sunday is quite a challenge now.
“It is not impossible but it will need a maximum performance from everybody and maybe a little bit of support from Ford.
“Ott has driven superbly so we know how strong he is. Our only chance is if Ott and Thierry are asked to secure their positions, the victory and the drivers’ title.
“Everything is depending on which mood Hyundai will start tomorrow. For us it [the task] is clear.”
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