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Bottas tests Toyota's WRC challenger
Mercedes Formula 1 driver Valtteri Bottas tested a Toyota Yaris WRC car on Friday at the Japanese manufacturer's factory team's regular test site.
David Evans
Edited: Jul 20, 2019, 9:04 AM
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Bottas made his competitive rallying debut aboard a Ford Fiesta WRC in January’s Arctic Rally and has since tested M-Sport’s Fiesta R5.
Toyota Gazoo Racing sporting director Kaj Lindstrom told Motorsport.com that Bottas’ outing in the Yaris was just for fun.
Lindstrom joked: “There is no contract. He was happy in the Arctic Rally, but we have the best car and he wanted to try it!”
Toyota’s regular drivers Ott Tanak, Kris Meeke and Jari-Matti Latvala had completed their running ahead of next month’s Rally Finland and the test team was kept on for one more day.
“The test with Valtteri was planned and he just drove the test car after the other guys at a road close to Jyvaskyla.”
Bottas was co-driven on the test by two-time world champion Timo Rautiainen.
The 29-year-old impressed M-Sport with his pace in a Fiesta R5 when he drove it in the south of France earlier this season.
Bottas’ countryman and M-Sport driver Teemu Suninen was left in no doubt that he could compete to a high level in rallying.
“What he did in Arctic was impressive,” Suninen told Motorsport.com. “It would be nice to see him in another rally and good to see how he could compete – it’s interesting to see drivers coming from other [disciplines], especially when they are some of the best in the world.”
Valtteri Bottas is testing Toyota Yaris WRC
Photo by: Toyota Racing
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