Toyota selects Ogier for WRC’s visit to Croatia

Toyota has announced that the eight-time world champion will pilot one of its three factory GR Yaris Rally 1 cars at the asphalt event, which hosts the fourth round of the WRC season, from 18-21 April.

Ogier and co-driver Vincent Landais will join Toyota’s full-time drivers Elfyn Evans and Takamoto Katsuta for the rally.

Following on from 2022 and 2023, the Frenchman is undertaking a part-time season that began in Monte Carlo in January, where he finished second behind Hyundai’s Thierry Neuville.

Ogier sat out the trip to Sweden last month and will be absent from next week’s visit to Safari Rally Kenya, with the third GR Yaris set to be driven by reigning two-time world champion Kalle Rovanpera, who is also contesting a partial WRC campaign this year.

Last year the pair went head to head for the Safari win, with Ogier coming out on top to claim his second victory one of the WRC’s most gruelling rallies. 

Ogier has previously started two of the three WRC rounds in Croatia, famously winning the event’s debut on the WRC calendar in 2021 by margin of 0.6s over Toyota team-mate Evans.

Last year, the 40-year-old finished fifth on the event after suffering a puncture on the Friday.       

Ogier’s 2024 schedule beyond Croatia is yet to be announced.

Toyota’s rival Hyundai is also yet to officially announce its driver roster for Croatia, although it is likely that Andreas Mikkelsen will take over the third i20 N from Sweden winner Esapekka Lappi, who will be in action in Kenya next week.