Island asphalt challenge awaits Toyota Gazoo Racing

The classic Tour de Corse is the first pure asphalt event of the year, but drivers Jari-Matti Latvala, Ott Tanak and Esapekka Lappi will take confidence from the performance of the Toyota Yaris WRC on the partly ice-covered roads of Rallye Monte-Carlo, where the team celebrated a double podium finish.

Serving as France's round of the WRC, the Tour de Corse is famed for its narrow and winding mountainous stages, which are often lined by rock faces on one side and steep drops on the other. Abrasive asphalt and long stages also mean that tyre wear is a factor.

The rally is based at Bastia Airport on the eastern side of the island, where the action begins on Friday with two loops of two stages - one of which, La Porta-Valle di Rostino, is 49.03km long. Saturday consists of two loops of three stages, focused on the northern coast and totalling 136.9km. On the final day, the action moves to the island's capital Ajaccio on the western side of the island. The mammoth 55.17km Vero-Sarrola-Carcopino test - the longest on the rally since 1986 - is followed by 16.25km Penitencier de Coti-Chiavari Power Stage.