LEGEND KANKKUNEN TO SAMPLE TOYOTA’S RALLY2 FUTURE

Juha Kankkunen, the four-time winner of the World championship, will be back behind the wheel on Rally Japan this week.

The 63-year-old Finn is set to drive the basis of Toyota’s Yaris Rally2 challenger prior to SS13 in Okazaki on Saturday afternoon.

According to Toyota, the Yaris Rally2 Concept, which is being shown in public for the first time, is “being developed according to the Rally2 regulations with the aim of becoming fully involved in customer motorsports”.

Finland’s other four-time WRC champion Tommi Makinen will also be on Toyota-driving duty. The ex-Toyota team chief will drive the Yaris H2, which uses hydrogen to fuel a combustion engine. The car broke cover on Belgium’s Ypres Rally in August when Kankkunen carried out demo running.

Meanwhile, World champion Kalle Rovanpera, Sebastien Ogier and Welshman Elfyn Evans are expected to challenge for the outright victory in their factory Yaris Rally1s.