Luca Rossetti, the three-time winner of the FIA European Rally Championship, is back on ERC duty on Rally Rzeszow this week. Armed with a Toyota GT86 CS-R3, the Italian is a contender for ERC3 honours.
You’ve spent some time developing the Toyota GT86 CS-R3. How is the project going and what’s the objective for this event?
“I’m here driving a Toyota GT86. It’s a two-wheel-drive car but it’s a rear-wheel-drive car. It’s really fun to drive. The car has a strong performance and is really enjoyable. Our target is to fight for the first position in two-wheel drive. The car has the potential to be on the front.
Your car is prepared by what was previously Toyota Team Europe but is now Toyota Motorsport GmbH?
“That’s correct. The plate number is amazing, KAM, and just this start to make me dream of the past when I was young and following the World Rally Championship. For sure they are a well known and huge team and know how to build a car and in R3 category we see just how good. I feel absolutely confident with the car and them and the work the team is doing. For me to say I am back as an official driver with Toyota is amazing.”
Based on what you discovered on the recce, how do the stages fit your car?
“I think the stages fit perfectly the car, the problem is the driver because it’s the first time I am here. They are stages I like a lot. They are narrow and fast with a lot of jumps. But you don’t see the corner so it makes a big difference. I am able to use as best as possible my car and as you saw in the qualifying we are quite fast. But the stages are really nice, really amazing.”
