Toyota’s journey from humble beginnings to the WRC’s greatest ever?
Toyota’s victory in Chile last weekend set a new World Rally Championship benchmark
When Canadian privateers Walter Boyce and Doug Woods piloted a Toyota Corolla Levin TE27 on a shoestring budget to victory at the Press-on Regardless Rally in 1973, they would never have imagined what they started.
The pair will be forever etched into Toyota’s World Rally Championship history as the first to take the Japanese brand to glory in what was the WRC's inaugural season. Boyce and Woods successfully navigated 552 kilometres of gruelling Michigan gravel stages in an event known as “America’s longest, richest, oldest, meanest car rally” to win by a whopping 24m15s.
These were humble beginnings for Toyota in the WRC that sewed the seed for the Japanese brand to become a WRC powerhouse that has now won eight constructors’ titles and powered drivers to nine world championships. Last weekend in Chile, Toyota reached a significant milestone as Sebastien Ogier and Vincent Landais guided the manufacturer to its 103rd WRC rally win, eclipsing Citroen as the manufacturer with the most wins in WRC history.
It is perhaps fitting that it was Ogier to chalk up the record win. Sixteen drivers have taken wins for Toyota in WRC, but it is Ogier, who joined the marque in 2020, that sits top of the pile, with Chile notching up the tally to 19 and counting.
Toyota's wins per driver
| Driver | Total |
| Sebastien Ogier | 19 |
| Kalle Rovanpera | 17 |
| Carlos Sainz Sr | 15 |
| Elfyn Evans | 10 |
| Ott Tanak | 10 |
| Juha Kankkunen | 9 |
| Didier Auriol | 7 |
| Bjorn Waldegard | 6 |
| Jari-Matti Latvala | 2 |
| Mats Jonsson | 2 |
| Ian Duncan | 1 |
| Armin Schwarz | 1 |
| Hannu Mikkola | 1 |
| Esapekka Lappi | 1 |
| Oliver Solberg | 1 |
| Walter Boyce | 1 |
"This is another incredible result for us. For Toyota to now have more wins than any manufacturer in the WRC is a very special moment. Of course, it brings back some memories of when I was driving, but what this team is achieving now is just amazing,” said deputy team principal Juha Kankkunen, who contributed nine wins to the tally during a career that included four world titles - one of which he secured driving for Toyota in 1993.
As Kankkunen says, what the team is achieving now is amazing and he is spot on with his assessment. It is a testament to the hundreds of employees who work at the WRC team’s base in Jyvaskyla, Finland and the engine works in Cologne, Germany. The drivers and co-drivers are the ones that clinch the victories, but motorsport is the ultimate team sport and success can only be achieved if the crews have the tools to deliver. Considering the brand had 18 years on the sidelines, the record is perhaps even more impressive.
Toyota has enjoyed a storied history in the WRC. After Boyce’s win in 1973, Toyota scored its first factory win two years later when Hannu Mikkola and Atso Aho took a Corolla Levin TE27 to victory at the Rally of 1000 Lakes in Finland.
Didier Auriol and the Corolla were victorious in China in 1999
Photo by: Ralph Hardwick
It proved to be a history making moment as Toyota became the first Japanese brand to conquer the event, while Mikkola claimed a then record fifth Finland win after defeating Simo Lampinen’s Saab 96.
Though the 1980s Toyota became renowned for producing the toughest and most reliable rally cars, underscored by its wins in the WRC’s most gruelling events - the Safari Rally and Africa’s Ivory Coast round, with Kankkunen and Bjorn Waldegard taking the spoils. That trait lives on in the modern era as Toyota has won every edition of the modern Safari Rally since the event rejoined the WRC in 2021.
The legendary Carlos Sainz Sr became its first drivers’ champion piloting a Celica to titles in 1990 and 1992, with Kankkunen and Didier Auriol taking up that baton by piloting the revised Celica Turbo 4WD to drivers’ and manufacturers' titles in 1993 and 1994 respectively.
"The final aim is not rallying. The final aim is to create ever better cars" Tomoya Takahashi
However, it is this modern era where Toyota has shone the brightest and enjoyed the most success. The brand exited the WRC at the end of 1999. Auriol guided a castrol-liveried Corolla to the brand’s 43rd win in China, a victory that helped it to a third manufacturers’ crown.
That was Toyota’s last win until it decided to rejoin the WRC, when the championship introduced new rules for 2017 that produced perhaps its most extreme vehicles since the Group B era. The numbers from this second coming, for want of a better term, built around the Yaris, are quite remarkable. Since it has rejoined the WRC it has contested 108 rallies and won 60 of them, equating to a 56% win rate. It helped the marque climb above Citroen (102), Ford (94), Lancia (74), Peugeot (48), Subaru (47) and Volkswagen (44) in the rally wins column.
Current team principal Jari-Matti Latvala had the honour of claiming Toyota’s first win on its return in only its second event, at Rally Sweden in 2017. The Finn also chalked up a half century of wins in Australia in 2018, the same season it secured a fourth constructors' title. The following year Ott Tanak took the brand to its first drivers’ title since 1994.
The statistics become even more eye watering when isolated to the current Rally1 era that began in 2022. In the 50 rallies run under this rules set, Toyota has won a staggering 34 and counting while adding a further two drivers’ titles for Kalle Rovanpera (2022, 2023) and three manufacturers' crowns. It is increasingly likely that three will become four this year, which would put Toyota one behind the record 10 held by Lancia.
Carlos Sainz roared to 1990 1000 Lakes victory aboard the Celica
Photo by: Motorsport Images
Statistics are just numbers at the end of the day but success on the rally stages is important for Toyota, which sees the WRC as a crucial platform to continue to better itself when it comes to producing road cars for the public.
“Toyota cars have evolved a lot since they started the WRC, starting with the GR Yaris. Rallying is about all kinds of surfaces on the road so it is a really good testbed to make better cars,” Toyota GAZOO Racing Company President, Tomoya Takahashi, told selected media including Autosport in Finland earlier this year.
"In rallying you drive all sorts of roads. Technology speaking of course Formula 1 or WEC can be very important but in rallying you can have technology that can be adapted to production cars. All the mechanics here can also help Toyota development for production cars. The final aim is not rallying – the final aim is to create ever better cars.”
With Toyota the only marque of the WRC’s current crop yet to begin work on a car for the new 2027 rules, it is entirely conceivable that the car maker could become the WRC’s undisputed greatest ever constructor in the very near future.
Toyota's WRC wins
1973: USA, Walter Boyce / Doug Woods, Toyota Corolla
1975: Finland, Hannu Mikkola / Atso Aho , Toyota Corolla
1982: New Zealand, Björn Waldegård / Hans Thorszelius, Toyota Celica
1983: Ivory Coast, Björn Waldegård / Hans Thorszelius, Toyota Celica Twin Cam Turbo
1984: Kenya, Björn Waldegård / Hans Thorszelius, Toyota Celica Twin Cam Turbo
1985: Kenya, Juha Kankkunen / Fred Gallagher, Toyota Celica Twin Cam Turbo
1985: Ivory Coast, Juha Kankkunen / Fred Gallagher, Toyota Celica Twin Cam Turbo
1986: Kenya, Björn Waldegård / Fred Gallagher, Toyota Celica Twin Cam Turbo
1986: Ivory Coast, Björn Waldegård / Fred Gallagher, Toyota Celica Twin Cam Turbo
1989: Australia, Juha Kankkunen / Juha Piironen , Toyota Celica GT-4
1990: Kenya, Björn Waldegård / Fred Gallagher, Toyota Celica GT-4
1990: Greece, Carlos Sainz / Luis Moya, Toyota Celica GT-4
1990: New Zealand, Carlos Sainz / Luis Moya, Toyota Celica GT-4
1990: Finland, Carlos Sainz / Luis Moya, Toyota Celica GT-4
1990: Great Britain, Carlos Sainz / Luis Moya, Toyota Celica GT-4
1991: Monte Carlo, Carlos Sainz / Luis Moya, Toyota Celica GT-4
1991: Portugal, Carlos Sainz / Luis Moya, Toyota Celica GT-4
1991: France (Corse), Carlos Sainz / Luis Moya, Toyota Celica GT-4
1991: New Zealand, Carlos Sainz / Luis Moya, Toyota Celica GT-4
1991: Argentina, Carlos Sainz / Luis Moya, Toyota Celica GT-4
1991: Spain, Armin Schwarz / Arne Hertz, Toyota Celica GT-4
1992: Sweden, Mats Jonsson / Lars Bäckman, Toyota Celica GT-4
1992: Kenya, Carlos Sainz / Luis Moya, Toyota Celica Turbo 4WD
1992: New Zealand, Carlos Sainz / Luis Moya, Toyota Celica Turbo 4WD
1992: Spain, Carlos Sainz / Luis Moya, Toyota Celica Turbo 4WD
1992: Great Britain, Carlos Sainz / Luis Moya, Toyota Celica Turbo 4WD
1993: Monte Carlo, Didier Auriol / Bernard Occelli, Toyota Celica Turbo 4WD
1993: Sweden, Mats Jonsson / Lars Bäckman, Toyota Celica Turbo 4WD
1993: Kenya, Juha Kankkunen / Juha Piironen, Toyota Celica Turbo 4WD
1993: Argentina, Juha Kankkunen / Nicky Grist, Toyota Celica Turbo 4WD
1993: Finland, Juha Kankkunen / Denis Giraudet, Toyota Celica Turbo 4WD
1993: Australia, Juha Kankkunen / Nicky Grist, Toyota Celica Turbo 4WD
1993: Great Britain, Juha Kankkunen / Nicky Grist, Toyota Celica Turbo 4WD
1994: Portugal, Juha Kankkunen / Denis Giraudet, Toyota Celica Turbo 4WD
1994: Kenya, Ian Duncan / Dave Williamson, Toyota Celica Turbo 4WD
1994: France (Corse), Didier Auriol / Bernard Occelli, Toyota Celica Turbo 4WD
1994: Argentina, Didier Auriol / Bernard Occelli, Toyota Celica Turbo 4WD
1994: Italy (Sanremo), Didier Auriol / Bernard Occelli, Toyota Celica Turbo 4WD
1995: France (Corse), Didier Auriol / Denis Giraudet, Toyota Celica GT-Four
1998: Monte Carlo, Carlos Sainz / Luis Moya, Toyota Corolla WRC
1998: Spain, Didier Auriol / Denis Giraudet, Toyota Corolla WRC
1998: New Zealand, Carlos Sainz / Luis Moya, Toyota Corolla WRC
1999: China, Didier Auriol / Denis Giraudet, Toyota Corolla WRC
2017: Sweden, Jari-Matti Latvala / Miikka Anttila, Toyota Yaris
2017: Finland, Esapekka Lappi / Janne Ferm, Toyota Yaris
2018: Argentina, Ott Tänak / Martin Järveoja, Toyota Yaris
2018: Finland, Ott Tänak / Martin Järveoja, Toyota Yaris
2018: Germany, Ott Tänak / Martin Järveoja, Toyota Yaris
2018: Turkey, Ott Tänak / Martin Järveoja, Toyota Yaris
2018: Australia, Jari-Matti Latvala / Miikka Anttila , Toyota Yaris
2019: Sweden, Ott Tänak / Martin Järveoja, Toyota Yaris
2019: Chile, Ott Tänak / Martin Järveoja, Toyota Yaris
2019: Portugal, Ott Tänak / Martin Järveoja, Toyota Yaris
2019: Finland, Ott Tänak / Martin Järveoja, Toyota Yaris
2019: Germany, Ott Tänak / Martin Järveoja, Toyota Yaris
2019: Great Britain, Ott Tänak / Martin Järveoja, Toyota Yaris
2020: Sweden, Elfyn Evans / Scott Martin, Toyota Yaris
2020: Mexico, Sébastien Ogier / Julien Ingrassia, Toyota Yaris
2020: Turkey, Elfyn Evans / Scott Martin, Toyota Yaris
2020: Monza, Sébastien Ogier / Julien Ingrassia, Toyota Yaris
2021: Monte Carlo, Sébastien Ogier / Julien Ingrassia, Toyota Yaris
2021: Croatia, Sébastien Ogier / Julien Ingrassia, Toyota Yaris
2021: Portugal, Elfyn Evans / Scott Martin, Toyota Yaris
2021: Italy, Sardegna, Sébastien Ogier / Julien Ingrassia, Toyota Yaris
2021: Kenya, Sébastien Ogier / Julien Ingrassia, Toyota Yaris
2021: Estonia, Kalle Rovanperä / Jonne Halttunen, Toyota Yaris
2021: Greece, Kalle Rovanperä / Jonne Halttunen, Toyota Yaris
2021: Finland, Elfyn Evans / Scott Martin , Toyota Yaris
2021: Monza, Sébastien Ogier / Julien Ingrassia, Toyota Yaris
2022: Sweden, Kalle Rovanperä / Jonne Halttunen, Toyota GR Yaris Hybrid
2022: Croatia, Kalle Rovanperä / Jonne Halttunen, Toyota GR Yaris Hybrid
2022: Portugal, Kalle Rovanperä / Jonne Halttunen, Toyota GR Yaris Hybrid
2022: Kenya, Kalle Rovanperä / Jonne Halttunen, Toyota GR Yaris Hybrid
2022: Estonia, Kalle Rovanperä / Jonne Halttunen, Toyota GR Yaris Hybrid
2022: New Zealand, Kalle Rovanperä / Jonne Halttunen, Toyota GR Yaris Hybrid
2022: Spain, Sébastien Ogier / Benjamin Veillas, Toyota GR Yaris Hybrid
2023: Monte Carlo, Sébastien Ogier / Vincent Landais, Toyota GR Yaris Hybrid
2023: Mexico, Sébastien Ogier / Vincent Landais , Toyota GR Yaris Hybrid
2023: Croatia, Elfyn Evans / Scott Martin, Toyota GR Yaris Hybrid
2023: Portugal, Kalle Rovanperä / Jonne Halttunen, Toyota GR Yaris Hybrid
2023: Kenya, Sébastien Ogier / Vincent Landais, Toyota GR Yaris Hybrid
2023: Estonia, Kalle Rovanperä / Jonne Halttunen, Toyota GR Yaris Hybrid
2023: Finland, Elfyn Evans / Scott Martin, Toyota GR Yaris Hybrid
2023: Greece, Kalle Rovanperä / Jonne Halttunen, Toyota GR Yaris Hybrid
2023: Japan, Elfyn Evans / Scott Martin, Toyota GR Yaris Hybrid
2024: Kenya, Kalle Rovanperä / Jonne Halttunen, Toyota GR Yaris Hybrid
2024: Croatia, Sébastien Ogier / Vincent Landais , Toyota GR Yaris Hybrid
2024: Portugal, Sébastien Ogier / Vincent Landais, Toyota GR Yaris Hybrid
2024: Poland, Kalle Rovanperä / Jonne Halttunen, Toyota GR Yaris Hybrid
2024: Latvia, Kalle Rovanperä / Jonne Halttunen, Toyota GR Yaris Hybrid
2024: Finland, Sébastien Ogier / Vincent Landais, Toyota GR Yaris Hybrid
2024: Chile, Kalle Rovanperä / Jonne Halttunen, Toyota GR Yaris Hybrid
2024: Japan, Elfyn Evans / Scott Martin, Toyota GR Yaris Hybrid
2025: Monte Carlo, Sébastien Ogier / Vincent Landais, Toyota GR Yaris Rally1
2025: Sweden, Elfyn Evans / Scott Martin, Toyota GR Yaris Rally1
2025: Kenya, Elfyn Evans / Scott Martin, Toyota GR Yaris Rally1
2025: Canarias, Kalle Rovanperä / Jonne Halttunen, Toyota GR Yaris Rally1
2025: Portugal, Sébastien Ogier / Vincent Landais, Toyota GR Yaris Rally1
2025: Italy, Sardegna, Sébastien Ogier / Vincent Landais, Toyota GR Yaris Rally1
2025: Estonia, Oliver Solberg / Elliott Edmondson, Toyota GR Yaris Rally1
2025: Finland, Kalle Rovanpera/Jonne Halttunen, Toyota GR Yaris Rally1
2025: Paraguay, Sébastien Ogier / Vincent Landais, Toyota GR Yaris Rally1
2025: Chile, Sébastien Ogier / Vincent Landais, Toyota GR Yaris Rally1
The whole Toyota team celebrated what was a milestone victory in Chile
Photo by: Toyota Racing
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