Incredible Toyota deserves fantastic home WRC round - Millener
Making the switch from gravel to Tarmac, Rally Japan takes place this week, albeit two years later than had originally been scheduled because of the COVID-19 outbreak. 2010 was the last time the sport visited the Land of the Rising Sun, with Sebastien Ogier victorious on that occasion.
Toyota has been a force to be reckoned with in 2022, sealing all three titles and taking victories on more than half of the 12 rounds held so far, with six alone being bagged by newly crowned drivers’ champion Kalle Rovanpera.
Acknowledging the Japanese automaker’s success in the sport’s top division, M-Sport Ford’s Richard Millener said: “It is great that we are finally getting to compete in Japan. This rally has been in the works for a while now and while we might be arriving two years late, our appetite for this event has only grown.
“I think it’s very important that the sport is heading to Japan, especially for our competitor Toyota which has been incredible in recent years. The team deserves to be able to have a fantastic home event.”
While Toyota has stolen the limelight this year, M-Sport Ford has very much been in its shadow. A winning start at January’s Rallye Monte Carlo has been the high point of an otherwise frustrating campaign for the Cockermouth-based squad.
Just two Puma Rally1 cars will be in action at Rally Japan following the decision last week to withdraw the entry of young Frenchman Adrien Fourmaux for the long-haul counter – the second time in three rallies that this has happened.
It means that Irishman Craig Breen – who is being linked with a surprise move back to Hyundai Motorsport for 2023 and will have a new co-driver in Japan following the retirement of Paul Nagle last month – and Gus Greensmith are the Blue Oval’s sole point scoring registered drivers.
“I would also like to extend a huge thank you to every single member of the M-Sport team,” added Millener. “Through one way or another, this year has been incredibly tough for a lot of our team members. They have stuck with it, didn’t give up and always delivered for which we are very grateful.
“I am feeling optimistic about this rally; the aim is to do our absolute best to finish the season on a high, to give us some momentum into the off season as we prepare for the 2023 season.”
