However, the new vehicle�s first outings soon indicated that something was wrong. Neither Sainz, Schwarz or the undisputed champion Markku Alen could do anything, although the Spaniard would come second, whereas the competitiveness of the new Lancia HF Integrale was clear right from the start. On classic terrains like Portugal, it was evident that the problem lay in the new aluminium suspension, placing Sainz and Alen in third and fourth positions respectively.

The first moment of joy came in the Safari Rally where the pace set by Carlos Sainz at the start reaped its rewards in the arid African race, and ended with him up among the winners. However, the lessons learned in the savannah proved fruitless: neither on the tarmac in Corsica, where the suspension and tyres were risky, or in Greece, a really low point in the season where the three TTE drivers were out of the race following accidents. Once again the Japanese manufacturer was kept out of the Brand World Championship.

Considering Carlos Sainz�s slight, but nevertheless real chances for the Drivers� title, Toyota went to New Zealand alone in view of the Lancia team�s indifference. The Spaniard had his third consecutive triumph. However, Didier Auriel�s presence in Argentina was sufficient to beat the Toyota driver who, despite maintaining a twelve point lead thanks to his second position, had taken part in two more events than the Lancia driver. For this reason, Carlos Sainz lost his place in the 1000 Lake Rally to the Finn Markku Alen, who was unable to prevent the French driver from winning again, just as Sainz was also unable to do in Australia, achieving an absolute record, his sixth victory of the season.

From that moment, Ove Andersson, TTE sponsor, devoted his time to starting up the 93 season. He subsequently contacted a new sponsor and Didier Auriol who, in view of the official withdrawal of the Lancia team, decided to opt for a change of scene. However, this move must have set off something somewhere in another time or place. In San Remo, where the Toyota team did not attend, Auriol lost a wheel when the pins inexplicably twisted. Afterwards, Carlos Sainz�s obstinacy in solving the enigma that had plagued the performance of the Celica Turbo 4WD, resulted in the problem being located: the replacement of the linear springs for progressive ones. The reward was victory in the Catalu�a-Costa Brava Rally, that the mysteries of electronics had denied him the previous year. Moreover, an unfortunate veer off the road meant that Auriol lost half an hour and could only gain one point to reach tenth place.

Everthing would be decided at the RAC in England. Three drivers, separated by three points, meaning that the person remaining ahead of the others would be the new world champion. Sainz carefully prepared the English race and led it from the start until reaching the muddy forests of Wales, where Colin McRae and his Subaru emerged beating the Lancias which needed narrower tyres. Later in Scotland, a faulty spark plug kept an astonished Auriol permanently out of the race, and Kankkunen did not do well on the last morning, ceding victory and the title to a strangely quiet Carlos Sainz.