Toyota WRC team reveals Seb Marshall as Kris Meeke's co-driver
Toyota has announced its 2019 World Rally Championship signing Kris Meeke will be co-driven by Seb Marshall
Autosport reported in October that Meeke, who was axed by Citroen after May's Rally Portugal, and co-driver Paul Nagle had split amicably ahead of Meeke's 2019 WRC return with Toyota.
Marshall, who has served as Hyundai driver Hayden Paddon's co-driver, was understood at the time to be favourite to partner the five-time rally winner.
Toyota has now confirmed Marshall will co-drive Meeke in one of its three Yaris WRCs, which will mark Marshall's first full co-driving campaign in the series.
Marshall (pictured below) has four years' experience in the WRC, having co-driven Kevin Abbring before joining Paddon - who contested a part-campaign this year - from Rally Portugal in 2017.
A statement from Toyota confirming Marshall's arrival said he "has quickly become one of the most respected co-drivers in rallying".
"In the relatively short period of time Hayden and I have worked together we've achieved a great deal," said Marshall in a post shared on his Twitter account.
"My time with him has undoubtedly been my most successful in the sport - registering numerous stage wins, WRC podiums and many other career highlights.
"It's tough to call time on a partnership as strong as ours and it's a decision I deliberated over at length. However, an opportunity arose that I felt I couldn't ignore.
"I'll be stepping into a seat with some big shoes to fill, but I'm hugely excited by the prospect of working with Kris and the Toyota Gazoo Racing World Rally team - and contesting a full WRC season for the first time.
"I want to express my enormous thanks to Hayden and everybody in the Hyundai team, who I have spent the last four years with."
Toyota added that Meeke and Marshall will start their co-operation later this month, in preparation for January's Monte Carlo Rally season opener.
Previous article
Sebastien Loeb won't get Citroen WRC outings in 2019
Next article
M-Sport Poland reveals new Ford Fiesta R2 car for 2019 Junior WRC
About this article
| Series | WRC |
| Drivers | Kris Meeke , Sebastian Marshall |
| Teams | Toyota Racing |
| Author | Jack Cozens |
Why there's no easy fix for Hyundai's operational Achilles Heel
Hyundai Motorsport boss Andrea Adamo was vocal in his criticism of his team's tyre choices on Rally Croatia and declared that he "had better move my ass and solve it". Doing so will be vital to getting Hyundai's 2021 WRC title hopes back on track, but finding the root of the problem won't be the work of a moment
How Ogier held on after a shock bump in the road to triumph in Croatia
Sebastien Ogier was already in an incredibly tight fight at Rally Croatia before a surprise collision with public road traffic at the start of the final day. But the defending champion held his nerve to take a narrow victory and create further World Rally Championship history
Why the casualty of rallying's evolution should still be cherished
The WRC's support categories are in a process of streamlining that will spell the end of a formalised 2WD world championship-level category. While its relevance to the top level has been questioned for some time, that doesn't mean it should be swept quietly under the carpet
Why WRC's hybrid path could leave it at a crossroads
With all three major manufacturers committing to the World Rally Championship’s hybrid era from 2022, the future of the series is assured for now, but it could lead to trickier twists and turns further down the road
How Tanak froze out the competition at the Arctic Rally
Ott Tanak made up for a disastrous Monte Carlo Rally by leading all the way on the snow-kissed stages of the Arctic Rally Finland and in the process hit back at an event Toyota had been expected to dominate
What to expect from the WRC's venture to the Arctic
This week's Arctic Rally Finland will bring the World Rally Championship into new territory. And, almost without exception, the service park can't wait for the subzero challenge to commence
How Ogier achieved a fitting Monte Carlo farewell
Against pandemic-shaped odds, the World Rally Championship season opener went ahead in Monte Carlo last weekend as a familiar face again took top spot. But for an emotional Sebastien Ogier, his record-breaking eighth win meant more than most
What to look out for in the 2021 WRC
As the 2021 World Rally Championship prepares to launch amid tight COVID-19 restrictions in Monte Carlo, here are the eight things unrelated to the pandemic that you should keep an eye on this year
