Toyota began Rally Saudi Arabia on the back foot after its senior drivers adopted a deliberately cautious set-up that left the team struggling to match the early pace of its rivals.

While Sami Pajari ended the opening leg just six seconds behind leader Adrien Fourmaux, Toyota’s key championship challengers—Sébastien Ogier, Kalle Rovanperä and points leader Elfyn Evans—finished the day clustered near the bottom of the top ten.

Technical director Tom Fowler said the team’s strategy of prioritising intra-team stability had, unintentionally, limited outright performance.

All three title contenders started first on the road, a known disadvantage on loose surfaces, but Fowler emphasised that road cleaning alone did not explain the pace deficit.

He noted that Toyota’s engineers and drivers had leaned too heavily toward safe specifications to ensure internal battles did not risk reliability or consistency.

Fowler also highlighted how running first on the road compromised Evans in particular, noting that unlike cars behind him, he lacked visual reference points that help drivers anticipate corner lines and braking zones.

Those following, including Ogier, benefited from clearer indicators of where they could push harder.

Looking ahead to the rally’s second day, Fowler said Toyota’s engineering group intends to adopt a more assertive approach, adjusting suspension and differential settings to unlock greater performance.

The team’s engines, already nearing the end of their regulated mileage cycle, have limited room for change, but Fowler stressed the importance of improving chassis behaviour to remain competitive both this weekend and in similar events next season.

Toyota’s leadership aims to avoid leaving Saudi Arabia relying solely on explanations of road position.

The focus, Fowler said, is on demonstrating that the team can extract stronger pace when conditions demand absolute performance.