Rally Japan 2024 closed the FIA World Rally Championship calendar on 21–24 November across the gravel and tarmac stages of Aichi and Gifu prefectures. Among the entries was car No. 43, a Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 fielded by Fit-Easy Spark Racing — a Japanese-backed privateer operation running independently of the factory Toyota Gazoo Racing WRC team. Behind the wheel sat Didier Auriol, the 1994 World Rally Champion, alongside his long-standing co-driver Denis Giraudet.
Toyota GR Yaris Rally1: Hybrid Power in the WRC Era
Introduced for the 2022 WRC season under the new Rally1 hybrid regulations, the GR Yaris Rally1 replaced the Yaris WRC that had dominated the previous era. The car combines a 1.6-litre turbocharged three-cylinder petrol engine with a standardised Compact Dynamics hybrid unit producing up to 100 kW of additional electric power, with combined output reaching approximately 500 hp. The GR Yaris Rally1 is a purpose-built Rally1 homologation car wearing GR Yaris-derived bodywork panels, developed specifically to meet the demands of the modern WRC.
Auriol and Giraudet: A Championship Partnership at the Season Finale
Didier Auriol is one of the most decorated drivers in WRC history — a four-time winner on Japanese stages and the 1994 World Rally Champion. Denis Giraudet has been his co-driver across multiple decades, making theirs one of the most enduring partnerships in the sport. At Rally Japan 2024, Round 13 and the final round of the championship, the pair contested the event under the Fit-Easy Spark Racing banner in car No. 43, a customer entry distinct from the works Gazoo Racing cars. The privateer livery sets this car apart from the factory entries at the same event.
The 1:43 Scale Model by Spark Model
This 1:43 scale model is produced by Spark Model in resin, with photo-etched and decal detailing replicating the Fit-Easy Spark Racing livery of the No. 43 car. Spark Model is the recognised specialist in 1:43 resin rally and circuit cars, covering events and entries that mainstream diecast producers rarely reach. The choice of resin allows precise reproduction of the GR Yaris Rally1's bodywork lines and team graphics at this scale.
In the Display Cabinet
This model sits naturally alongside other Spark Model WRC releases from Rally Japan 2024 — including the factory Toyota Gazoo Racing entries of Sébastien Ogier and Kalle Rovanperä — forming a complete grid of that season finale. For driver-focused collections, it pairs with historic Auriol and Giraudet entries such as the Toyota Corolla WRC. It is equally at home in a broader survey of privateer and customer WRC entries, where non-factory liveries of the GR Yaris Rally1 represent the less-documented side of the modern WRC paddock.
Häufig gestellte Fragen
Who drove the No. 43 Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 at Rally Japan 2024?
Didier Auriol, the 1994 World Rally Champion, drove car No. 43 for Fit-Easy Spark Racing with Denis Giraudet as co-driver.
What team ran car No. 43 at Rally Japan 2024?
Fit-Easy Spark Racing, a Japanese-backed privateer/customer team operating independently from the factory Toyota Gazoo Racing WRC squad.
What material is this Spark Model made from?
The model is produced in resin, with photo-etched and decal detailing, as is standard for Spark Model's 1:43 rally range.
What hybrid system does the real Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 use?
The car uses a standardised Compact Dynamics hybrid unit producing up to 100 kW of additional electric power alongside a 1.6-litre turbocharged three-cylinder petrol engine, for a combined output of approximately 500 hp.
