Toyota GR Yaris Rally2 arrives down under
The striking Toyota GR Yaris Rally2 coming to the Australian Rally Championship has arrived down under and was unveiled today at the Australian Grand Prix.
Before the car makes its ARC debut at the Rally of Canberra in April, the covers were peeled off at Albert Park by champions Harry and Lewis Bates.
The Yaris turned heads in the new black GR livery that has become a staple of Toyota’s motorsport programs all over the world in 2024.
Reigning ARC champions Harry Bates and Coral Taylor will be the first to enjoy the new weapon at the season-opener in the Capital from April 5-7.
Toyota teammate, arch rival and brother Lewis Bates and co-driver Anthony McLoughlin will have to wait until round 3, Rally Queensland on June 28-30.
But before then both driver and co driver will get to taste the new Yaris on the big stage on WR2 debut at the iconic Rally Portugal in May.
Lewis Bates can’t wait to experience the new Toyota for the first time.
“It has been a long time coming for the GR Yaris Rally2 to come to Australia,” he told AUTO ACTION.
“We have all been waiting for it for a long time and it is super exciting now it is here.
“To be honest it looks amazing and I can’t wait to drive it for the first time in Portugal.
“We are really happy with it.”
The Toyota GR Yaris Rally2 replaces the Toyota Yaris GR AP4 that has dominated ARC in recent years.
The GR Yaris Rally2 car is Toyota’s first factory built car homologated for WRC2 and was first revealed to the world at the 2022 Rally Japan.
After more than 15,000km of development, the new Toyota made its WRC debut at this year’s Rallye Monte Carlo in January.
Stephane Lefebvre was the highest placed Toyota driver in fifth, while in Sweden Toyotas filled four of the top five WRC2 spots led by Sami Pajari.
Lewis Bates admits he is not sure about the differences yet having not driven the new Yaris, but is eager to discover them in Canberra.
The new GR Yaris Rally2 replaces the Toyota Yaris GR AP4 that has dominated ARC.
“We haven’t tested it yet so we are not sure on the direct comparisons,” he said.
“It will be a bit of a step up from our AP4 car but there is not a huge difference between them.
“But a lot more development has gone into it so we expect it to be a little bit faster.
“It will be interesting to see in Canberra how I go in the AP4 and Harry in the new Yaris.
“We are all eagerly waiting to see how the new Rally2 car goes.”
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